


Book Of Life

by AuthorA97



Series: Death Becomes Her [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Can't Promise a Happy Ending, Family Drama, Human from our world, Memory Curse, OC has angst, OC is Rumple's mom, OC is better leader than Hades, Screw off Fiona, Screw off Hades, Spoilers for season 6, Traveling Between Realities
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-10
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2018-11-30 05:18:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 32,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11456790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuthorA97/pseuds/AuthorA97
Summary: Okay. The thing with Hades pissed me off. Same for that Black Fairy nonsense. This, well this is my way of throwing them the middle finger. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present, Queen La Muerte del Castillo, Queen of the Underworld. Though, in Storybrooke, she's Mary Beth Spencer.





	1. Page One

_The Enchanted Forest_

She wasn't dead. She couldn't be dead. Why was she dead? He was only gone for a weekend. She...She couldn't be...it was only three days. How could...how could...

He couldn't get his thoughts straight. He had promised Morgan he would only be gone a few days for a trip in another village. They needed more money, and he needed more work. It'd been a trying few months, after their parents had cut them off. Neither of their families liked the marriage. His family hated her's, vice versa.

Morgan didn't care about any of it. She married him anyway, knowing her parents would toss her out if she did. That was enough to convince his parents that  _she_  was trustworthy, although it wasn't enough for their support.

They were able to scrounge up enough money for their little shack. Morgan found work with the seamstresses, as she had a sort of talent for the trade. He found work in various places, basically any place that would pay.

It had been a year, but things were looking up now. He was coming home with good news. He'd been drafted for the War. Well...not good when said like that. It would mean some money for his family, and honor when he died. That was something they were in short supply of these days.

With his summons scroll in hand, he had walked home. There was hair standing up on his neck, as if sensing the dark magic in the air. He didn't want to think she could be dead. She was young, they both were. She was safe where she was, he was in more danger walking between villages.

Yet he opened the door of his shack to those amber eyes he'd fallen in love with, except they lacked the fire she'd always possessed. There was no mischievous smile, like she'd just made a cunning trick he'd never see until it was done. There had been blood around her, enough of a pool to reach into her black hair.

His Morgan was dead...

...but their son lived.

==BOL==

_Storybrooke_

Mary Beth Spencer was a happy medical examiner.

There were some problems, like she was an only child with dead parents. They left her everything. She was left their big house, which required a maid to clean. The maid cleaned during the hours Mary Beth was at work, so the two rarely crossed paths outside of pay or requests for days off.

It'd been unnerving for a while. Their death had been a surprise, yet Mary Beth had adjusted. Her relationship with her family had always been somewhat cold. Not as cold as the dead she surrounded herself with, but enough to unsettle people.

Mary Beth was proud to get this job. She'd interned with the hospital for a long time, nearly her whole life as she could recall. She signed on for this job after the previous mortician retired, and no one could see a problem. Mary Beth had the experience, she just didn't look it.

She'd been told she was much too beautiful for this job, too full of life. Mary Beth didn't agree. Yes, she was youthful but still a woman at nineteen. She stood tall, at just above 5'10, with naturally tawny shaded skin covered with little freckles sprinkled on like confetti. She had a thin nose, complimenting her diamond shaped face. Her golden eyes contrasted her raven wing locks, the darkness of black paired with the light of a sun.

Those golden orbs seemed impossibly cheery. Her closest friend said she seemed the type to burst into song if she could. To be honest, Mary Beth liked singing Christmas Carols when days were just too slow. She admitted this to her friend, only making them both laugh.

Mary Beth's days fell into a routine, she noticed somewhere after their death. She woke up, had a simple breakfast, got herself cleaned for the day, dressed in her work clothes, drove to work, worked, have lunch, work more, drove home, have dinner, watch some of her programs, and go to bed. It was a bit monotonous, but she hadn't cared much for it.

It had been like that for as long as she could remember. Mary Beth thought it was odd how often she found herself saying that, but those were just the mad musings of an underused ME.

When you only have the dead to talk to, your mind goes away for a bit.

There weren't a lot of dead in Storybrooke. With such a lack of work, she tended to spend her work hours reading. She liked the quiet, not so much the solitude. She could name how many people she interacted with regularly on one hand.

There was her (sort of) coworker, Detective Graham. He was a nice man, polite if anything. Mary Beth knew he talked with her mostly to keep her from feeling so cut off from the world.

Then there was his (sort of) girlfriend, the Mayor, Regina. It was odd, as Mary Beth noticed once that Regina always seemed to come around the same time whenever she did. The Mayor had these cold eyes that stared at Mary Beth liked she was a rat in one of those mazes. Like a science experiment that was giving results the Mayor liked.

Mary Beth hated being someone's idea of a game. She hated being thought of as a tool for some else's gain. She couldn't recall where this disdain started, it was just always there.

Oh! Mary Beth almost forgot Mr. Gold. She was probably one of the only people in town that didn't pay rent to him. It was odd enough, as their meeting was the only one she could clearly recall. She'd met him at the store (cause even landlords needed food, people!). Mary Beth made a joke about only hearing him as Mr. Gold and that she'd never heard his first name. She had said it made him sound like that funny sounding troll guy, the one with the really long name and that tried taking kids in place of golden straw.

She had blushed, thinking it was incredibly rude. Mary Beth tripped over herself apologizing. Mr. Gold only grinned, apparently liking the analogy. He even joked that if Mary Beth could guess his name, he'd pay for her groceries. Mary Beth couldn't guess it, even tried using the troll's name, which made the two of them laugh.

They met sometimes for a lunch, musing about some of the idiotic people of Storybrooke. Mary Beth didn't know most of the people he spoke about, but she still liked the company. Mr. Gold was unknowingly her only real connection to the outside world. At the same time, Mary Beth was unknowingly the only person unafraid of the pawnshop owner.

They had an odd friendship, but Mary Beth was nothing if not odd.

That was three people. Three people that Mary Beth had regular talks with. Her maid half counted, but Mary Beth didn't feel it right to classify her as a friend.

Today was going to be one of those days they had lunch. It broke her out of her routine, somewhat. She looked forward to it.

The door to her office opened. The mortician's head snapped up when someone walked into her sanctuary. She lowered the book she had been reading. It had been a good book, darn it, and she was getting to a good part!

Graham walked in. Mary Beth was perplexed. Had someone died? It would annoy her if it was just another old person from the hospital. If she had to autopsy one more man who died of old age...she might create another body to make things interesting!

"Hey Dr. Spencer." Graham greeted politely.

"I told you to call me Mary Beth, or even just Beth!" She argued, not getting up from her desk. She liked the title, cause it made strangers stop treating her like a college dropout. She didn't like her friends using it, though. "You know I hate being called Doctor."

It made the sheriff grin. "Sorry Beth. You just looked a little stressed. Thought you'd like a little _life_ in you."

"Your jokes are horrible, Graham, and that's coming from me." Mary Beth tried to make it sound like she was annoyed, but the statement came with a smile.

The sheriff chuckled. "Ouch. Now that's just  _low_." He teased. "Not even my dad would've used  _your_ jokes."

Mary Beth held back an urge to roll her eyes playfully. Yeah, she had a horrible sense of humor of jokes not even dads or uncles would use. "Did you need anything, or is there a reason you're interrupting my incredibly heavy workload." She asked, trying to pretend that she hadn't been nose deep in a book.

From the look in Graham's brown eyes, he was pretending as well. "You're going to hate me."

"No." She started to groan.

"Mister Rickman passed-"

"Don't tell me that." She actually groaned. She lifted her hands to her forehead, pressing down to keep from exploding.

"-I know you hate it, but we still need-"

"To check, in case of things." She didn't go into the specifics of what she would be looking for, she'd said it enough times. Mary Beth hated saying it, but she wished there were a few murders she could solve, like the ones on her programs.

Graham nodded awkwardly. He would swear that the young woman, barely nineteen yet with an adulthood thrust upon her, was insane for actually wanting it.

Mary Beth wanted to hit herself with the book, then hit Graham with it. A small part of her mind, a deep corner buried behind a curse she didn't know about, reminded her that this would be the twenty-eighth time she'd autopsied Mister Rickman. It was a miracle the woman had kept her head on straight.

==BOL==

Mary Beth was as punctual as she was odd. She always seemed to show up fifteen minutes early to their lunches. She'd tried to be late once, only she was so overcome with nerves she'd ended up twenty minutes early!

Yet today, Mr. Gold had to cancel at the last minute. Something about a client being behind on rent. Mary Beth had understood, lying and saying that her work was gonna go on for a stretch longer.

She still needed to have lunch. After Mister Rickman's predictive autopsy, she'd ended up being at their usual place at one. Unfortunately, the building was closed. Apparently they had to do some renovations after a pipe burst early that day.

This meant having to go to Granny's. The place that, at this time, would be full of people that Mary Beth had only seen.

It was true. Even after one o'clock, the place was a little more full that Mary Beth liked. The town drunk (she only knew this because Mr. Gold wondered how he hadn't shown up on a slab yet) was there having hangover coffee. Could you even get that this late in the day? He probably could. There were another nine people inside; a woman with her two children, a couple on a date,

She pulled her hair out of a ponytail, letting the hair spread out across her shoulders like raven's wings. After a calming breath, she pulled into back into place.

Mary Beth awkwardly greeted Ruby, while hesitantly asking for a small plate of a cheeseburger and fries for lunch, and some tea. Tea always made Mary Beth feel better, she couldn't explain it properly.

The mortician spent all day in a room filled with the dead of Storybrooke, with cold metal walls, and pilot lights (one of which alway seemed to be on the fritz), yet in the diner she felt like she couldn't breathe. She didn't like all these people. She didn't like the world. They all seemed to recognize her as the Spencer's daughter, always giving her sad eyes, always asking if she was okay after her parents died. Mary Beth hated it when they treated her like glass, cause then she started feeling like it.

Even now, without any of the three people she knew, she felt exposed. Yes, she would feel a bit more secure if Regina was here! That was how uncomfortable she was with all of this. Why had she even gone to Granny's? She should've just bought something to microwave at a store and had that!

When Ruby gave Mary Beth her order, the black haired mortician accepted it politely. The half dresses waitress walked off, a bit off put by the mortician's seemingly cold behavior. Mary Beth would've loved some conversation, but she'd been shut off from the world since her parents died so long ago...how long ago was it again?

She didn't get much more of a chance to think on that. The Curse always seemed a few steps ahead.

A boy walked into Granny's. It took Mary Beth a moment to recognize him as Mayor Regina's son. She'd heard about him at times from Graham, about a little boy with nicely cut hair and bright brown eyes. Just by looking at him, Mary Beth felt like she was forgetting something important.

It had been ten years, how had she not met the boy?

Granny had met him, if her smile told Mary Beth anything. She smiled at the boy, a warm motherly smile that made everyone feel like they were welcome. "I heard today was a half day. The usual?"

The boy nodded, grinning at the older woman. "Yes. Thank you, Granny." Though he staring at the older woman with much wider brown eyes than Mary Beth thought necessary. She had been giving him the same look, though only because she'd never met the boy. If the boy had a usual, then he had to have been here often.

"I'll get right on it, Henry. You just take a seat and Ruby'll bring it over."

The simple name of the boy, and it was like a lightbulb went off behind Mary Beth's eyes. Images played in her mind, of a full lifetime before her arrival. Not to the diner, to this world. Not even to the Enchanted Forest! A whole other person came to life in that diner seat.

 


	2. Waking Up From A Curse

My head felt drowsy at first. There was a fog over my mind, slowly fading away like a dream. Hundreds of hundreds barreled through my mind, of somewhat familiar stories and episodes. Some memories of the mundane slipped it, of a repeated day in Storybrooke, of the slightly different Regina conversations (including one concerning the unborn Henry), of myself meeting the Cursed people of Storybrooke.

I took a deep breath, fighting off the drowsy feeling in my head.  _The curse memories_ , I realized with a start. I listed off some facts about myself, to keep me grounded. Otherwise I'd be having a panic attack in the diner.

My name is Morgan Spencer. I'm 174 years old. I was living inside  _Once Upon a Time_. My magic was a different brand then the other fairy tale characters. I've been able to transport myself into fictional worlds (and a few non-fictional ones, they caused a bit of a stir in history class) since I was Henry's age.

My home world was the 'normal' world. A better name might be the 'control' one. Back Home, my brother's got me into the show and I knew it was a perfect place to go.

That's...normal. Okay. Everything from home was in place. It was important to keep a steady grasp of who you really were in case of moments like this. Course, having memories of someone else's life hadn't been pushed into my mind because of a Curse before, and I hope it doesn't happen again.

When the fog cleared, I found myself in Granny's. There was a lunch in front of me, that I didn't remember ordering. My memories of Storybrooke are muddled at best, so I didn't fret. There were twenty-eight years of repetitive crap to sort through. I paused, reminding myself it wouldn't do any good to panic right now. There were too many people here. I'd broken out of the curse. How?

"There you go, Henry. Hot chocolate with cinnamon." Came Granny's voice.

I looked up, seeing the young boy just a few feet away.

My memories must've been bound to his name, like Mr. Gold's had been bound by Emma's.

"Henry." Meeting the boy made me smile knowingly. My attention went to the book half hidden in his bag.

The boy tilted his head in confusion, until he saw what I was looking at. He pushed it deeper into his bag, eyes nervously looking around Granny's as if looking for his adoptive mother to pop up anywhere.

This was a bit of a whirlwind. I stared down at my apparent meal, wondering just who I was before. Why would she have bound her memories by Henry's name? Obviously she learned how from Rumplestiltskin, so there was some trust there.

So I started focusing on my hands, I could still smell antibacterial gel. Based on what she ordered for lunch, I doubt my curse self was scared of germs. She cleaned her hands for work. Not a menial job either, I caught sight of a police station ID badge in her bag. Medical professional, police ID, mortician then.

That was a new job for me. Usually in the police force I was a detective. Still, mortician is a good job. I doubt there was much need for them in Storybrooke. On top of that, this body was  _young_. Not as young as I was back Home, but nearly so. Eighteen, maybe nineteen?

What else was special about my cursed self?

My inner musings were put on pause as the Truest Believer made his way over.

Henry sat in the booth next to mine. His back was to mine. I smirked a bit, covering up a laugh. He was pulling out the book, probably to see who in the diner was a fairy tale character. There was a part of me that wanted to tell him everything about Storybrooke, but I thought better. Henry had no idea who I was.

I reminded myself that this was before the  _Pilot_ , before Henry had anyone else believing in him. Right now, the town thought Henry was just an over imaginative boy.

"I love Belle and Rumplestiltskin story the best." I mused, sipping at my tea. "Have you read that one yet?"

There was a long pause from the boy behind me. He was hesitantly holding the book in his bag. It was promising that Henry hadn't put the book away yet. He turned back to stare at the back of my head, I smirked.

"Hesitation, that's a yes. You're figuring out if you should lie or take a leap of faith. You've read it, and you've enjoyed it." I took another sip of my tea Whoever my curse self was, she had decent taste. "Have you noticed?"

"Yeah it's-" Henry silenced himself. "How do you know about the book?"

My response was to chuckle. "I'm pretty sure I'm in there for half of it." It had just been a little idea in the back of my head. It seems right, so I guess when my pre-curse memories were a bit muddled.

My Enchanted Forest self had to be involved in them, right? Regina wouldn't have included me in the Curse otherwise. I might have to borrow the book later to find out which stories I'm actually in. It could take awhile, maybe four hours? That's pretty long for me.

A pause. "Who are you?" Henry asked quietly. There was a bit of hope in his voice.

"I'm-" I quickly pulled out my medical ID.  _"Doctor Mary Beth Spencer._ " A derisive snort followed. "They got the last name right this time." A glance showed that I was eighteen here.  _Damn, I was young._

Though my back was to the boy, I could clearly picture the mischievous grin. "What was last time?"

"When I lived in the Enchanted Forest, obviously." I replied, glancing around the diner to make sure no one else was listening. "Least I think so. It's hard to tell with these curse memories in my head too. You should feel happy you don't have them."

"You believe." The boy breathed. "You believe!"

"Shhh!" I warned. "If your mother hears I woke up...you've read what she's done."

"...yeah." Henry agreed, a bit of self deprecation in his voice. "My mom. The Evil Queen." He sighed. "I'm sorry for what she did to you."

"Ah, it was nothing. I had twenty eight years to get over it." I teased.

In actuality, I had no idea what the Queen had done. My Enchanted Forest memories were coming in slowly. There were flashes of me, what I had looked like. More surprisingly was the fact that I was  _really_  old.

"It's funny, I use remembered. The baby at the end? She's gonna be twenty-eight soon."

Thus began Operation Cobra.

==BOL==

Whoever Mary Beth had been, she was someone important enough to have a nice house.

The only real problem was that it was down the street from Regina's.

And that it looked  _like_  Regina's, just with darker paint. My house was painted gray, with black shingles. The inside looked different, guess even my curse self didn't like frilly  _girl_  stuff.

She did have presence to darker colors. The walls were dark blue, with white couches, and light brown coffee tables and nightstands. The carpet was There was a flat screen connected to the wall, directly above the fireplace. I certainly liked that.

The kitchen was mostly white, with some silver accents. It was the brightest room in the house.

I hadn't even been to the second floor yet!

A phone started ringing. Before I even knew what I was doing, I was pulling it out of the purse to answer.

"You're talking to me." I reported. ' _What in the Storyline's name am I doing?'_

To my surprise (though it really shouldn't have been) Sheriff Graham's came over the line.  _"Mary Beth, where did you go?"_

"Lunch." I answered.

" _You_ went _to lunch, and never came back."_  Graham replied.  _"You're late."_

"What? No. I'd never be  _late_." I chided, dropping my purse on the counter.

The cursed sheriff scoffed.  _"Well this time you are. Where are you?"_

I glanced around my house. "Late, I am  _offended_." This stalling thing was working out for me. Looking around the kitchen, I tried to think of a half decent excuse.

" _Mary Beth, are you alright?"_  Graham sighed.  _"You're acting...strange."_

' _Technically I'm acting normal. Not cursed.'_ I mused. The most brilliant idea came to me. "You think I'd be late if I had a choice? My car broke down on Main Street. I had to call in a tow truck. It was a big hassle."

" _What were you doing on Main Street?_ " Graham asked, now only more concern in his voice.  _"You usually get lunch on DeBlois Lane, right?"_

I huffed. Why was he being so difficult? Can't I just make a cover story without him nitpicking? "A pipe burst in their kitchens. I had to go to  _Granny's_. If I knew my car was going to break, I would've just had a bag of chips from a vending machine!" My speech was agitated now, practically shouting.

Graham was silent for awhile. There was just a bit of hope in my chest that he would accept the story I was feeding him. There were too many things to do today. That, and  _I'm not an actual mortician_.

There was a lot of memories to sort through. Mary Beth was just a start. The memories of the Enchanted Forest were so messy I don't even remember my name there! Just glimpses of black dresses and a pain in my chest.

" _Alright. Things are slow today anyway, and I doubt they'll pick up."_  Graham relented. _"You've got some sick days saved up anyway."_

I let out a small huff, feeling relieved.

This was going to be a long night of organization. Of sorting out all the memories that I could, so I could plan.

_Must...contain...girlish...squeak._

==BOL==

_Two months later_

"So yeah,  _Granny's_  isn't that bad a place." I spoke into the phone. I popped another fry into my mouth. "No really. The people watching 's  _brilliant_  here."

The man on the other end murmured in thought.  _"That's because most of the people who go there are complete imbeciles."_

"I'm not disagreeing." I cheered. "The things these people say when they think you can't hear. I'm  _astounded_. I've already found out a boy is cheating on his girlfriend, and I  _told_  said girlfriend about it."

Mr Gold laughed, in a low voice that said he wasn't surprised at the lack of brains in town.  _"I must say, Mary Beth, I've never seen you so social."_  He teased.  _"Or being so_ noble _."_

"I did it so I could see the fight." I argued happily. "They just kept  _shouting_ at each other _,_ then the girlfriend  _scratched_ -why am I explaining this over the phone? Get over here!"

There was a polite laugh. I knew this would be followed by a decline, and another request to come to that other boring restaurant.

"No. No. You don't get to say no this time." I finished in a sing-song voice. "You better be sitting across from me in twenty minutes."

" _Or?"_  He called my bluff.

"Do I need to threaten you all the time? Honestly, you're such a glutton for punishment." I teased. After a quick bite of another fry, I tried another tactic. "But since you asked  _so nicely._ I'll keep calling and keep asking until you say yes."

There was a long silence as he looked over his options.  _"It's horrible because I know you. You have a knack for pestering me when I happen to be to be talking to a client."_

I shrugged innocently. "Can't be helped. Being a pest is my  _superpower_."

He sighed in defeat. I smiled, giddy. It'd been a surprise to find out I was  _friends_  with  _Mr. Gold._  Mary Beth's curse memories had come in before anything awkward happened.

Sorting through my memories, and what that meant for the show, had taken more than one night. Some memories are taking longer to come back then others. There are people in town that I know I should know, like deja vu, but I can't put a memory to them. The ice cream lady is one example.

I saw Owen in one. It was hard to remember if it was because of his father or something else.

Then there were the ones of the Enchanted Forest. I could see magic lessons with Regina, the occasional glimpse at Snow White as she became a bandit. All the years in the Dark Castle with Rumplestiltskin, helping make the Dark Curse.

_The teacup..._

"I found her!" Henry shouted, rushing into the seat across from mine.

It brought me out of my memories. I kept a cool expression, not wanting Henry to see me mourning a woman that wasn't dead.

My brow raised in curiosity. My hand slid into my purse, searching for a slip of paper. "...I'll bite. How?

"Okay. That website you showed me? It needed money." Henry began, giving me an evil eye I'd seen on Emma Swan.

I shrugged. "Most sites like that do. I thought you would steal...your mom's...card."

"I stole my teacher's credit card." Henry admitted happily. "I couldn't use Mom's, in case she got the bill. I had to wait to go back to school, then I had to wait for the website to find her."

He made a good point. School had let out the day we met, which meant he had to wait for August to see Mary Margaret again. Then came the  _month long_ search for Emma Swan. It was only taking so long because of how often she moved for her job, or else they'd find her in a week.

"So you need a bus ticket to Boston, Massachusetts?" I finished, holding up the ticket.

Henry's next expression made me fight a smile. It was the kind of face you make when watch a horror movie and someone had the brilliant idea of going into the basementand  _why the hell_   _are they doing this?_ " _What?_  We can't leave town! The Curse never lets anyone leave!"

He seemed more concerned with that then how I knew where Emma was. The Curse always seemed to come first to him.

"You're leaving to bring back the Savior." I argued simply, still holding out his ticket. "I think the Curse will make an exception." I finished dryly.

Henry stared at the ticket. "And how did you know where she was?" And  _there_  it was. For a moment I thought he'd let it slide. That would be a disappointment.

"I have a sixth sense about these things." This was another thing I love about kids; they didn't judge my knowledge as harshly as the grown ups did. I like giving information without the full interrogation thing, thank you. "But you should be careful, Henry. She's  _feisty_."

The young boy was only made more determined. "I can do it. I know she'll believe me.

"Emma  _will_ believe, Henry." I promised, holding his hands together. I gave him a serious look. "But it's gonna take time. She is going to fight it with all that she is, but she  _will_  break the curse. I promise."

The boy smiled like I'd just given him every Christmas present he'd ever wanted.

"Now off you pop." I cheered, tossing the ticket his direction. He caught it with the same exuberance Charlie caught the golden ticket. "I'll be in a meeting. The guy's gonna be a big help the next few months."

"Does that mean I'll get to meet him?"

"No way. He's still Cursed. He'd hate what we're doing, and probably tell Archie."

That was another fun topic. Archie Hopper. He'd come up to me one afternoon, while I was familiarizing myself with the streets of Storybrooke. He said Henry had brought me up in a session (Henry swore it was an accident, that Archie had asked if Henry was hanging out with friends but Henry said my name)

I was moved that Henry called me a friend. It was a bit less moving when Archie started asking  _why._ I had to give the Cursed explanation that I made in case Regina starting asking questions.

I saw Henry reading The Book. I asked him about it, since I liked old fairytales. Henry ended up explaining that his teacher gave it to him, and sharing his theory that everyone in town was Cursed, even me. I made sure to tell Archie I didn't believe it, really, that I just thought it was healthier to let Henry work out for himself that it was a story, instead of trying to shove it into his head.

The psychiatrist bought it. He said that as long as I didn't  _completely_  encourage it, that Henry and I's friendship would stay off Regina's radar. It was a huge relief to Henry and I. If the Evil Queen knew, then Operation Cobra would be dead before it started.

Henry made sure to be extra careful with what he said around Archie now. Henry had tried to break the Curse on Archie, until I explained to him that my memories had been bound by Henry's name and that not many other people knew to do that.

"But you said he'd be helpful in a couple months." Henry pointed out.

I smirked, proud. "Good job noticing that." I'd been teaching him to pick up some verbal cues. Henry was a smart kid, and he loved it when I taught him to use new skills.

Henry beamed under the praise. My spirits dampened a bit as I wondered if Regina had done a lot of praising.

"There's a good chance he'll break out soon." I admitted. "But even then, Henry, I can't let you meet him. If something happens, and he gets comprised, I can't risk you getting caught in that."

"But we need to help each other." Henry argued. "When he breaks free from the Curse, he might know something about freeing everyone! That could help Mom! The real one, not Regina."

"I understand that, Henry."

"And I'm not a little kid."

"I never said you were."

"So stop trying to keep me out. I want to help, and I'm going to."

"And I  _want you to._ " I stressed, barely keeping my voice low enough not to get the attention of everyone else in the diner. "Believe me. I can't fight this without you, Henry."

 _Because it's your True Love kiss that fixes everything. It's your father this Curse was built for. It's your biological mother to break it. It's your adoptive mother that cast it against your grandmother. It's your Belief that makes Emma_ want _to be the Savior._

"If you get caught, and Storyline forbid that you do, then I need to have the peace of mind that you can have plausible deniability about who else knows." I explained, feeling a little part of me shrivel up at the thought of Henry being interrogated. "I don't want you getting hurt, okay? That friendship thing goes both ways."

 _I can never seem to turn away a child. Especially when that child is called crazy. When they_ know _what they believe is real, that they can't prove it but that shouldn't matter because it's the truth. The kids in their classes start calling them names because they believe so strongly._

_...and I'm not talking about Henry anymore, am I?_

"I'll let you know when it's safe, okay? I wouldn't promise something unless I knew I could follow through on it." I promised.

There should've been a lot of thought on Henry's part. It seemed my remark on our mutual friendship was all he needed to hear. "Okay. You're sure he'll help?"

"I'm not gonna give him much choice." I admitted, matter-of-factly. I gave Henry a tired grin.  _Damn Henry is stubborn as his grandfather._

"How can you argue with the Queen of the Dead?"

Yeah, that title threw me too. It gets annoying to be related to dead things in so many realities.

"Exactly, so get moving. He'll be here any second."  _'And I look forward to seeing everyone's reactions to Mr Gold walking into Granny's.'_

The Truest Believer smiled. A light smile of friendship that I can't believe was for me. He climbed out of his seat, running out the door.

I wouldn't see him until he had Emma Swan standing over him.

I wouldn't get to tell him about Mr Gold because he doesn't trust the pawnbroker.

I wouldn't get to talk to  _anyone_ about this for a long time.

So, it came as a relief when Mr Gold finally strolled into the diner, I dug inside myself to believe that I was just Doctor Mary Beth Spencer at lunch with a friend.

Or else I might just shout  _Emma Swan_  in his smug face. Honestly, Cursed Mr Gold was a friend, but even I could see he was a  _dick_.

 


	3. Pilot

_ Enchanted Forest _

 

It was a grand celebration, a moment that seemed to take  _ ages _ to happen. The wedding of Snow White and David. The whole kingdom was invited, as well as anyone who helped them along their journey. Dwarves, fairies, other royals, and the nobility.

The room was decorated with gold and flowers. The stain glass windows cast the room in a rainbow of colors. The skylight cast a less clear light on the wedding couple, yet it made them stand out all the more for it.

I thought it was all a bit much, especially the white roses around the wedding gazebo. I mean, really? Snow White hadn’t had enough flowers in her life? No...it was another princess that struggled with flowers (the one named after lettuce). Whatever, the flowers were still annoying.

Snow White was a lovely bride. Her onyx black hair was pinned up, with small pink flowers decorated in it. Her cheeks were pink with blush, her lips painted a rich pink. She was draped in silver jewelry, an heirloom of her mother’s no doubt.

Her dress was breathtaking. The skirt of it was littered with plain white feathers. The bodice had some feathers as well, though there were white jewels in it. She wore long white gloves, no doubt made from the finest satin in the land. She wasn’t wearing a tiara, but everyone looking at her would know that she’s a Queen.

The groom was dressed handsomely. He wore the Royal Armor of his kingdom. It contrasted Snow White’s, while also complementing it. The black armor touched with silver etchings. Not to mention his sleeves were a bit poofy.

Look at me, talking about fashion. My friends in the Underworld have been getting to me.

Then again, they fussed for an hour about my own dress. In the end, we went for a long pale lilac dress, which was mostly covered in a layer of black lace. It could reach the floor, but not in a way I’d trip over. It was quite beautiful, and a favorite of mine. They relented to letting me wear black slippers. We realized quickly that even with three hundred years on my back I’d never walk straight with heels. If I wasn’t already dead, I’d snap my neck.

The ceremony had been going on for an hour. The couple had barely looked away from each other.

I was hidden away, up on one of the stain glass windows to the side. It was a poor spot to view a wedding, but a great spot to watch a battle. When was it going to start? The Dark One swore she’d come to the wedding...

“I do.” The groom, known by his friends as Prince Charming, promised. Though, I know him as David the sheep herder.

The priest turned dutifully to the bride, who had love pouring from her eyes at the man across from her. “And do you, Snow White, promise to take this man to be your husband, and love him for all eternity?” The priest asked.

Snow White, with equal love in her voice, promised the same vow. “I do.”

The priest smiled. I found myself smiling with them. “I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

The glittering assemblage gave an appropriate applause for this setting. Though, Grumpy took a minute. They should be whooping and hollering, what with all the work it took getting those two together. Confetti and flower petals should fall from the sky.

With a wave of my hand, white petals started to fall around the happy couple. Okay, fine. The flowers were  _ nice _ . If you can’t beat them, join them.

I supplied the loudest cheers. You could get away with anything when no one could see or hear you. Such is the price of being Queen of the dead.

As the petals fell, nearly masking their first married kiss, the doors were pushed open. I stopped the flowers, letting them fall into a sort of protective halo around Snow and David.

The crowd gasped, scurrying away from the doors in fear. For strutting in, dressed in blacks and reds, and hair long enough to reach her hips, was the Evil Queen.

I smirked.  _ Finally _ , things were interesting.

“Sorry I’m late.” She lied. She spoke in a way that made no one forget that she had been Queen before Snow White.

The Evil Queen glided across the stone floors, using her magic to help propel her towards the couple. Her black eyes were lit with the desire for vengeance. I stood up on my windowsill, watching the proceedings with a wary eye.

This was an important meeting. This could make, or break, over three hundred years of planning.

Two guards ran to the Evil Queen, branding swords. Not looking away from her targets, she flicked the guards away.

“It’s the Queen. Run!” The dwarf known as Doc shouted in warning.  _ No kidding, Sir Dwarf. Please bestow your wisdom to future generations of dwarves. _

The bride acted faster than her now husband. Snow White drew the sword at his waist, aiming it at her step-mother.

“She’s not the Queen anymore.” Queen Snow White stated with finality. It pleased the crowd, as they became less tense. They were free from the Evil Queen’s iron fist, but not at the moment. “She’s nothing more than an evil witch.” She spat.

I’d be angry too, if my archenemy ruined my wedding. The Evil Queen just looked amused. 

The Prince stepped in, placing his hand over his wife’s. “No, no, no. Don’t stoop to her level. There’s no need.” He advised.

I don’t know why he didn’t help. He hated the Evil Queen too. Maybe he thought themselves already victorious, like kissing on the wedding day would smite the Evil Queen for good.

“You’re wasting your time. You’ve already lost. And I will not let you ruin this wedding.”

Oh. I was right!

It only made the Evil Queen smile darkly.  “Oh, I haven’t come here to ruin anything.” That made me snort. “On the contrary, dear, I’ve come to give you a gift.”

“We want nothing from you.” Some White refused.

“But you shall have it!” The Evil Queen spat. 

_ ‘Storyline, can you believe in-laws?’ _ I joked. I’ll have to remember that one for later. The Dark One hated when I told him jokes but that’s never stopped me!

“My gift to you is this happy, happy day.” The Evil Queen promised.

I listened attentively. Rumple’s magic was held off in that cell, so he had no way 

She scanned the crowd with her eyes. It was her favorite pastime. “But tomorrow, my real work begins. You’ve made your vows, now I make mine. Soon, everything you love, everything all of you love, will be taken from you. Forever. And out of your suffering, will rise my victory. I shall destroy your happiness, if it is the last thing I do.”

Then she stormed out,  _ like a Queen would. _

“Hey!” David called after her, fruitlessly.

I waited until the door slammed shut before teleporting away.

 

==BOL==

_ Storybrooke _

 

It had been awhile since I last heard from Henry. This might be a cause for concern, except I knew where he was. The drive from Storybrooke to Boston in a bus was short, if it didn’t take a lot of stops along the way.

Though I gave him the tickets a few days ago, I knew he would wait until Emma’s birthday to go. He hadn’t called in a few days, or emailed, so I was a bit worried.

What also worked me was that I had a clear memory this morning. My Enchanted Forest memories were cloudy after my Curse broke. I could remember an event, except not the  _ full  _ event. The  _ impression  _ the event left behind was always there. They were like a dream, that had something more.

Watching Snow and David’s wedding with such clarity, even remembering the small thoughts, made me anxious for Emma Swan to come to town. 

Worrying and anxiety made a fool out of me. I was jittery when I came to work, I ended up taking the bus I was in such a mood. It got worse when I got to work to find that there was no work. My worry turned into annoyance as the day went on.

By lunch, I was  _ done _ .

Walking into the bullpen, I tossed a new patient folder at Graham. It was what I did instead of  _ nothing.  _ He took it idly, barely glancing it over.

“Yes. A spellbinding tale of how the dog died.” I cheered in mock delight. “I’ve gotten so bored, I actually wrote a report on the death of a dead fictional dog, because  _ there’s nothing else to do!” _

Graham gave me a small grin. “He died of heart failure?”

“You saw  _ Tom and Jerry _ . Eventually, that dog is going to keel over.” I explained, dramatic dropping into the chair next to his desk. “Such a shame. Everyone thought it would be the stick of dynamite that looked like a dog bone, but no. He couldn’t carry on without Tom and Jerry. He died of a broken heart.”

“Sounds like a high profile case.” Graham teased.

“ _ Extremely  _ high profile.” I deadpanned. “Is something interesting  _ ever _ going to happen?”

Our conversation stopped by the sound of angry heels clicking on our linoleum floors.

_ ‘Praise be the Storyline.’  _ I gave a quiet cheer to the ceiling.

“Hello.” I greeted, beaming at the Evil Queen. “What brings the Mayor to our humble abode?”

Regina gave me a half glare. “Shouldn’t you be working?”

“Trying to, but this is a sleepy town in a sleepy month.” I excused, pouting.

Her cold eyes glaring at me. Regina and I had rare conversations, and based on my memory from this morning I doubt I was a friend. Beside me, I felt rather than saw Graham’s plea for privacy.

“You know what, there’s a bag of chips in the vending machine calling for me.” I commented.

Rising up from my chair, I went into the hall for a candy bar. Regina was a  _ pain _ in any life. You had to pick your battles.

“Aside from what you think, I  _ do  _ know when I’m not wanted.” With that said, I turned up my nose and walked off into the hall.

I counted down from one hundred. The Mayor glared at my retreating back.

It was an odd feeling to know that she could have ripped my heart out of my chest if she had wished it. Now she could only fire me, and I don’t think she’d get far without me annoying her into giving it back. It was enough time to buy a peanut butter cup from the machine.

I could easily listen in on what they were talking about but it was either one of two things; sex or missing Henry. As great as the conversation was sure to be, I didn’t want to overhear any requests for sex.

By the time I made it to ‘ _ thirty’ _ , Regina was storming past me.

Despite knowing I could be murdered when she got her magic back, I smirked innocently at her. She didn’t have the decency to pretend to notice me.  _ ‘How rude! What was I, a ghost?’ _

“Sheriff, I think your girlfriend hates me.” I called out to him.

Graham gave me a tired look. I sat back in my chair, eating my piece of candy. “She isn’t my girlfriend.”

“I’m not calling her your booty call.” I excused, knowing it made him a bit angry when I called her that. “My mama taught me it was rude to say stuff like that.”

Graham winced. “Go easy on her. She’s been fighting with her son, Henry. He’s going into teenage rebellion a bit early.” Graham explained.

“Yeah, it’s rough from what I’ve been hearing.” I voiced. Graham looked at me in surprise. “He called me. We’re neighbors, we  _ can _ chat.”

Graham was surprised by it. “How often do you talk?”

“Not often. Usually whenever he’s arguing with his mother.” I answered.  _ ‘Which was a lot.’ _ “Last we talked, we were at Granny’s and he was complaining about his therapy sessions.”

“Poor kid.” Commented the sheriff.

“Yeah. He’s got a good head on his shoulders, though. He’s a lot nicer than Regina.” I assured, giving him a quick light punch on the arm. “Have a little faith in the kid, Graham.”

 

==BOL==

_ Enchanted Forest _

 

“My turn is over. Now _ you _ pick a card.”

The Dark One half glared from his position. It was hard to think of him as a dangerous sorcerer. To me he was Rumplestiltskin, albeit a  _ long lived _ Rumplestiltskin.

So I waited here. With him. In sorcerer jail. Trying to be a good friend.

He wasn’t playing  _ fair _ .

“It’s no fun unless you play along!” I chided. I kept my cards close to my chest. He wasn’t going to cheat this time! “Honestly. How else am I supposed to keep you  _ sane _ ?”

It had not been long since his entrapment. I came by whenever I could. I told him of what was going on in the world, since his Sight was blocked by this cell. Though he was centuries old, I was the closest thing he’d ever had to a friend. He was one of the few that could see me.

Most people couldn’t, not until I wanted to be seen. You had to have a lot of magic otherwise, so those winged rats could see me with ease. The Sorcerer could, his apprentice was a bit trickier. These guards weren’t my ‘target audience’.

And after the Belle affair, we were more alone than ever.

Rumplestiltskin glared crazed snake eyes at me.  _ He _ certainly knew how to throw a hissy fit. “I’m not playing children’s games.”

There weren’t any indication that the guards heard him. They tended to ignore him unless someone visited. It made our conversations feel more comfortable.

He was being impatient. He’d been waiting for the royal couple to arrive since Regina showed up at the wedding. It was difficult not to laugh, as he hung upside-down in his cell.

I gave Rumple a deadpan stare. “You got yourself in there, and now you’re being whiny about it. You are being childish. You get to play children’s games. Now, take a card.”

The doors beyond the hall opened with loud metal clangs.

“You are being saved.” I informed in false cheer, clearing the cards away with a swipe of my hand. In a blink they faded as if they were never there. “For now. Expect no mercy from me when they are gone.”

Rumplestiltskin sneered at me. In a blink it was changed into a proud smirk as the royal family came in. 

The guard halted the couple at the end of his hall. “When we reach the cell, stay out of the light.” He warned. “And whatever you do, do not let him know your name.”

I snorted (loudly). Lucky for me, Rumpelstiltskin was the only one that could hear. He knew Snow’s name. He knew Snow’s name for decades now, from before she was a twinkle in her grandmother’s eye. Who did the guard think he was trying to fool?

“If he knows your name, he will have power over you.” 

“He’s not wrong.” I teased. The Dark One had most of his predictions in his head, as having them written where anyone could see was dangerous. That unfortunately left things a bit muddled. He tended to remember things by people’s name. “His name is Thomas, right?”

“Thomas, son of Geoffrey.” Rumplestiltskin answered, though it sounded similar to his usual ‘mad rantings’.  _ Ah, to have the powers of a psychic. _

“Good. Good, the sons of Geoffrey are always so nice to us. Well to me. Geoffrey makes the best little cakes on my birthday’s in the Underworld.”

Though my stays in my kingdom were brief, by no means were they lack luster. The spirits there knew how to throw parties, as well as galas and this odd thing titled  _ ‘hoedowns’ _ . Many of the spirits had become my friends before they moved on. For some it is the reason they are staying behind so long.

Geoffrey was one such spirit. He would stay around my palace for many nights. We talked on occasion, I liked getting to know the spirits in my kingdom. Anything to help them move on. He had been a chef when he was alive, or so he had explained. There had been a tasting gone wrong, a foiled assassination attempt. Geoffrey would be proud to hear his Thomas was a guard. The dead chef had been anxious about his sons.

“Rumpelstiltskin. Rumpelstiltskin! I have a question for you.” Thomas called out.

He was having  _ none _ of Thomas’s bull. “No, you don’t.  _ They _ do.” Rumple taunted. He flipped himself upright. I laughed at the ridiculous display. “Snow White and Prince Charming...You insult me. Step into the light and take off those ridiculous robes.”

To my slight disappointment they did. It was usually a bit more fun when they fought it.

Rumpelstiltskin grinned. The mad filling was in his eyes as he stared down at the royal couple. “That’s much better.”

Prince David tried to keep his high ground. “We’ve come to ask you about the-” He spoke calmly, idly, not giving away any obvious signs of distress.

“Yes! Yes! I know why you’re here!” Rumplestiltskin exclaimed in a crazed voice. “You want to know about the Queen’s _ threat _ .”

“Tell us what you know.” Snow White demanded in a much more forceful tone.

“Ooh, tense, aren’t we?” He teased with a little mad giggle. “Fear not! For I can ease your mind. But...It’s going to cost you something in return.” He reminded them. With how many Deals this couple had struck, you think they would have remembered  _ that _ much.

Prince David seemed to remember them, though. His eyes widened just a fraction, knowing that the price would not be something easy. Unfortunately for him, we were made to disappoint. “No!” He turned to his wife. “He’s just a waste of time.”

She walked closer to the cage. If I stood up, we’d be side by side. “What do you want?” She ordered. I liked Snow. She was always the one to take the leap.

Rumpelstiltskin made a thoughtful face.  “Oh...The name of your unborn child?” He asked innocently.

I snorted as I realized why. The Land Without Magic was blocked by Rumplestiltskin’s visions. We knew the daughter of the Charming’s wouldn’t stay here long enough to be officially named. Rumplestiltskin needed her name to bind his memories. He didn’t trust the Queen, and Rumple wanted ( _ needed _ ) every advantage he could take.

He wanted to do the same with mine. I refused, telling him I had something better. A more  _ powerful _ name.

“Absolutely not!” David shouted.

“Deal!” Snow shouted at the same time. Her eyes shut, expression of pure annoyance that David was trying to get a leg into the negotiations. I do so love it when perfect couples fight. “What do you know?”

The Dark One wasted no time. “The Queen has created a powerful curse. And it’s coming. Soon, you’ll all be in a prison. Just like me, only worse.” He explained in a cheery voice. The royal couple’s faces fell. “Your prison, all of our prisons, will be time. Time will stop, and we will be trapped. Someplace horrible, where everything we hold dear, everything we love, will be ripped from us while we suffer for all eternity. While the Queen celebrates, victorious at last. No more happy endings.”

There was a sense of foreboding. I had known of it for centuries, helped  _ plan  _ the damn thing out. How was it sending shivers through me?

I did not have the gift of prophecy, as he did. Yet I could still see us trapped in the Dark Curse. Us, walking around the streets like blind sheep waiting for slaughter. Her, the Evil Queen, up in an ivory tower perfect to watch over all of us.

“What can we do?” Snow White requested.

“ _ We _ can’t do anything.” Rumpelstiltskin snickered devilishly.

Snow White, ever the clever one, spotted what Rumple  _ wasn’t _ saying. “Who can?”

The scaled man pointed a sharp nail towards her slightly bulging stomach. “That little  _ thing, _ growing inside your  _ belly _ .”

The prince pulled out his sword, swiping at the Dark One’s hand. I growled. It took a sharp look from Rumplestiltskin to stop me from doing anything that would expose my presence. “Next time, I cut it off.”

I growled again.

“Tsk tsk.” He scolded me. “The infant is our only hope. Get the child to safety. Get the child to safety and on its twenty-eighth birthday, the child will return. The child will find you, and a final battle will begin.”

“We heard enough. We’re leaving.” The two royals made way to leave.

With a flick of my wrist, I prepared a spell to block the entrance. Rumple barked at me (which I felt was entirely unnecessary in these circumstances). “We need the name, remember?!” Came my angry reminder to Rumplestiltskin.

His mad laughter changed to...madder laughter. “Hey! No! We made a deal! I want her name! We had a deal! _ I need her name! I want her name!” _ He slammed his hands on the jagged teeth like bars of his cell.

“Her? It’s a boy.” Prince David argued. His feet stopped just short of the barrier I had created. A blessing in disguise, I suppose. I’d wanted to see him run into it.

This made Rumpelstiltskin and I laugh. Poor David, so easily mislead. Snow White had been silent. “Missy... Missy...you know I’m right. Tell me, what’s her name?”

Snow White took a long pause before answering us. She knew there was no way out of this. “Emma. Her name is Emma.”

His snake eyes glinted. “Emma...” He purred. I clicked my fingers, taking down the barrier no one had hit.

The royal couple walked out. How rude...they didn’t even say goodbye!

As the friend, I waited patiently until his guests were gone.

I swept my hand across the ground, returning our cards as if they had never left. “Okay, I gave you your quiet. Now that they’re gone, I’m reminding you that it is now  _ your  _ turn to pick a card.”

 

==BOL==

_ Storybrooke _

 

I smiled as the memory became part of me. There was a comfort to seeing how long Rumplestiltskin and I had been friends.

Though, I had been letting my mind wander enough for today. When I started that dream, I was about to go to the bus stop. Now I’m at the library.

Just before I started the long trek to a bus station, I had a yellow bug cut me off on the sidewalk. To be honest, I shouted like a frightened child. It took me a good few seconds to calm my racing heart.

Before I could start shouting, an enraged blonde in a red leather jacket stormed out of the bug. Her magic must already be having an impact because her slammed car door went in time with an electric outlet sparking up. I had to duck to avoid some of the sparks that would have rained down on my head.

Emma glared fiercely at Henry, as he climbed out the passenger side. You could see the slight familial similarities, though Henry looked a lot like Neal. “Look, it’s been a long night and it’s almost-8:15?”

“That clock hasn’t moved my whole life.” Henry explained, ignoring Emma’s more angered concerns. “Time’s frozen here.”

“Hey! H-man, what up?” Was my shout of held back anger. Keeping up an appearance of nonchalance, I held up my fist.

Henry pushed his fist into mine. We did an exploding fist bump. He wasn’t even surprised that I had found him so quickly. “I found my real mom.” He motioned back to the blonde behind him, smiling like he knew something I didn’t.

I grinned. My jaw dropped in fake shock. “Dude, that’s awesome!” With a proud grin, I held my hand out to Emma. “Greetings Henry’s biological mom!”

The bounty hunter stared at me in suspicion. Seriously, she had her arms crossed over her chest in a defensive position. “Who are you?” Emma asked. 

“I’m the woman you almost hit with your car.” I introduced, holding my hand out.

Emma’s eyes widened. “Oh god. I’m sorry-”

“Don’t be! I’m just glad you didn’t run over my foot, I need that. My left foot is my lucky foot!” I cheered in delight.

“This is Mary Beth.” Henry informed his mom. “She’s my best friend.” To prove it, Henry stood a bit closer to me.

I smiled, happy Emma was hearing Henry had friends. “Call me Morgue, it’s cooler.” My eyes caught sight of Henry. “So what brings you to our fair land of Storybrooke?”

Emma stared at me cautiously. “I’m just here to bring Henry home.”

“Ah. Good. We missed him.” I nodded to let her believe whatever she wanted.

“The Evil Queen froze the clock with her curse.” Henry explained dutifully, a troublemaker’s grin on his face. “She sent everyone from the Enchanted Forest here.”

Emma gave him an arched eyebrow. “Okay, the Evil Queen sent a bunch of fairy tale characters here.” She explained his story with the voice of a true mom, putting up with her child’s story for his sake.

Henry went on, oblivious. “Yeah, and now they’re trapped.”

“Frozen in time, stuck in Storybrooke, Maine.” Emma deadpanned. “That’s what you’re going with?”

“It’s true!” Henry argued loudly.

“It’s true.” I agreed simply.

“You believe this thing too?” Emma groaned.

“I’ve believed in this Curse since it’s conception.” The words came honestly. 

Emma glanced between Henry and myself. “Then why doesn’t everybody just leave?” She challenged.

“They can’t. If they try, bad things happen.” Henry explained.

“Not that anyone really wants to leave. They don’t have the means.” I added.

“Henry!” Archie called out. He ran over to us, Pongo on his side. Emma sighed, leaning back on her bug, eyes turning up to the sky in annoyance. “What are you doing here? Is everything alright?”

Henry knelt down to Pongo, scratching the dog’s ears. “I’m fine, Archie.” I knelt down too, excitedly scratching on Pongo’s head.

“I checked him out. He’s clean.” I added, scratching Pongo’s back. “Right bud?” The dog barked, licking my hand. “Aww...love it when he does that.”

Archie glanced over at the blonde bondswoman. “Who’s this?” 

She shrugged. “Just someone trying to give him a ride home.”

“She’s his mom.” I answered helpfully.

“I found her, Archie!” Henry added excitedly.

The ex-cricket blanched. “Oh. I see.” He nervously glanced up at Emma for confirmation.

She gave it to him. “You know where he lives?” She sighed, defeated by the powerful mind of Henry Mills and Morgan Spencer.

The psychiatrist was starting to smile, as I had been. “Yeah, sure. Just, ah, right up on Mifflin street.” I wonder if he noticed that they had the same nose. “The Mayor’s house is the biggest one on the block.”

An aggravated pause. “You’re the Mayor’s kid?”

“Uh, maybe.” The boy lied.

Archie knelt down to Henry, speaking in a gentle voice. “Hey, where were you today, Henry? Because you missed your session.”

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. I went on a field trip.” Henry lied.

Archie caught him. I’d have to teach Henry to do it better. This kind of work was just pathetic. “Henry. What did I tell you about lying? Giving into one’s dark side never accomplishes anything.” Dear Storyline, the sheer Disney-ness of that sentence made me want to punch something.

Emma became my bestest best friend in the next second, by trying to escape from it. “Oookay. Well, I really should be getting him home.”

“If you say so.” I half acknowledged.

“Yeah, sure.” Archie smiled brightly at her. “Well, listen. Um. Have a good night and, uh, you be good, Henry. Until next time, Miss Spencer.” 

“It’s Doctor!” I shouted at his retreating form, to Emma’s shock. “What? I didn’t go to night school and take medical courses for three summers to be called  _ ‘Miss’ _ !”

“You’re a doctor? You look like you’re in high school.” Emma asked.

“Well I’m not. I  _ earned _ my degree, thank you!” I snapped, annoyed. I crossed my arms over my chest. “It’s taken every day for the past five years to earn it. I’ll not ever be called  _ ‘Miss _ ’ again. It’s annoying.”

Emma just took my passionate speech in stride. “So that’s your shrink.”

“I’m not crazy.” Henry argued instantly.

Emma shook her head. “Didn’t say that. Just, he doesn’t seem ‘cursed’ to me.” She glanced at me. “You do though.” I beamed. “Maybe he’s just trying to help you.”

“ _ He’s _ the one who needs help because  _ he _ doesn’t know.” Henry argued

“That he’s a fairy tale character?” Emma deadpanned.

“None of them do, except Mary Beth.” Henry explained.

“ _ ‘They don’t remember who they are’. _ ” I spoke in a deep voice, like Mufasa. “The quote works, because it’s  _ true.” _

“Convenient.” Emma stated. “Alright, I’ll play. Who’s he supposed to be?”

“Jiminy Cricket.” I answered.

The bail bondswoman raised a skeptical brow. “Right, the lying thing.” Emma joked. She looked over to Henry. “Thought your nose grew a little bit.” She glanced at me. “And you’re wearing enough blue.”

“I’m not Pinocchio!”

“I’m  _ not _ the Blue Fairy!” It took a lot to not snarl that out. I just...don’t like the Blue Fairy. It disgusts me that I would even be compared to that woman. 

“Course you’re not.” Emma spoke with a silent eye roll. “Because that would be ridiculous.”

“Before you go...think you could give me a ride? I think I missed my bus.”

 

==BOL==

_ Underworld _

 

“Geoffrey  _ please _ . I’m hungry!”

“You’re dead, m’lady. The dead do not eat.”

“That’s a lie and you know it!”

“She’s right, Geoff. Our Queen could eat a whole feast and still feel hunger.”

“Lucia, you’re not helping!” I groaned, falling back on my throne. A poor choice, I landed painfully on the seat of it. It may be a cushion seat, but there was still hardwood underneath.

Geoffrey and Lucia snickered at me. 

The two of them had be my greatest friends down here. Lucia most of all. Her family, the Posado’s, had been with me since I first came to the Underworld. It was practically their new duty, as they arrived here to their family and saw me alone on the throne.  It was ridiculous. I don’t know how that family got it in their heads that I needed assistance. Regardless, I owed Lucia’s ancestor a great debt, so I always made sure to get them to the Better Place.

Lucia had been here for forty years now. 

My throne room was a grand place. The walls were white stone, with gold etched along the rough and flooring. There had been the Five Great Waters connected to the center, until I had them covered in stones to keep others out (except for some trap doors, gotta love a good trap door). There weren’t any windows which I liked. The sunlight here was a bit trippy when I thought about it too long.

Some more personal things were scattered around the throne room. There was a guitar in one corner, beside a grand piano. I had a large grandfather clock. When you were immortal, it was important to keep track of time. Normal people don’t live as long as you do. Lucia’s grandmother started this weird tradition of keeping flowers in the throne room. It was a great one. The flowers made the place brighter. It was much better than the old king’s molding cobblestones.

I had just finished telling Geoffrey about his son. He had brought some fruit, and was now holding it hostage until I told him who Thomas was guarding for. It would be difficult (also a tiny bit funny) to tell him Thomas was guarding Rumplestiltskin.

“But I want the peaches!” I whined, letting my head fall on the armrest.

“Your Grace, you’re supposed to be three hundred years old.” Lucia reflected. “And you’re whining no better than any of my daughters.”

“It’s not  _ my _ fault that I died at eighteen!” Was my proud argument at them.

“You’re a child.” Lucia stated.

“You’re demanding.” My argument only proofed her right. Still, I liked making it.

Geoffrey laughed at the two of us. “You girls...you are so funny.”

“See? How can I be a proper adult when my people laugh at me?”

“Then quit telling those silly puns.” Lucia advised, a smug turn in her lips.

“The cookie was feeling crummy!” I shouted the punchline, sitting up in my throne so I could stretch my arms out for dramatic effect.

The two gave me held back smiles.

“I saw Geoffrey’s lip twitch first. I win!” I cheered. 

To their defeated groans, I skipped over to the nearby piano. Lucia was going to follow me to discuss whatever it was she wanted to discuss. While I waited I began to play. A simple melody, you heard a lot of melodies when you can travel the Realms.

“It’s not a pretty song, when you hear the whole thing.” I mused. “Something about a poor boy, from his poor family, telling his mother he killed a man. Some of these songs are  _ violent _ . Can’t say I disagree with it though...you can tap your foot to it!”

The throne room was filled only by my music. There was quiet footsteps as Lucia came to sit beside me.

“Are you sure this will be a good idea, My Queen?” Lucia asked, trying to get comfortable on the bench.

“Of course it will be.” Though I knew I could misinterpret her words as playing the piano, I knew what idea she was really talking about. “I will be a part of Regina’s dark curse. My name is already inscribed with the others.”

“But this Curse...it doesn’t bring back the dead, Your Grace.” Lucia reminded gently.

“No it does not. But I’m not any old dead person.” I agreed. “Yet there I will be. Maybe my heart will just never beat in this new world. It’ll be fun to find out.”

“I just don’t think this is  _ safe _ .” Lucia went on. “None of us do.” 

“So what if I told you an old friend left me...a gift?” I hinted, with an all knowing smile.

“I would call you more insane than you already are, Your Grace.” Lucia replied. Her eyes were wide in surprise at the implications. “The old king burnt them after what happened with Orpheus and Eurydice.”

“I know, yes. I know more about Greek mythology than you do. Which I was I complained very loudly to his brother, who hooked us up with a new life giver tree!” I revealed to the two people I trusted. They both gasped in surprise. “That’s right. Course, there’s still a rule about things. Don’t know what that new rule is yet, Zeus said it’ll be a surprise. When the time comes, I’ll go up there and take a piece. Then...everything will happen.”

_ Damn I can never find a good ending to a dramatic speech. _

 

==BOL==

_ Storybrooke _

 

“Please don’t take me back there.” Henry begged when Emma opened the creaking metal gate.

“I have to. I’m sure your parents are worried sick about you.” Emma reassured.

“I don’t have parents. Just a mom and she’s evil.” Henry explained.

“Evil?” Emma turned to Henry. “That’s a bit extreme, isn’t it?”

I kept quite. This was more and a mother/son moment.

“She is.” Henry went on. “She doesn’t love me. She only pretends to.” He admitted quietly.

Emma knelt down to his level. Her green eyes were wide in a kind of understanding of his orphan pain. I know he’s not technically an orphan, but he’s always felt like one. “Kid... I’m sure that’s not true.”

Immediately following that, Regina ran out of the door.

“Henry!” She cried out, heavy tears on her cheeks. She ran to her son. I took a small step back, to give her more space. Regina was brushing down on Henry’s hair. “Henry...are you okay? Where have you been? What happened?”

Henry stared at her defiantly. “I found my real mom.” He stated before running off to the house.

I made a quiet sigh for him.

“Y-you’re Henry’s birth mother?” Regina asked, cautiously.

“Hi...” Emma greeted awkwardly.

Graham and I exchanged a look. “We’ll just go...check on the lad. Make sure he’s alright.”

“Yeah. That.” I volunteered, going towards the sheriff.

“I didn’t ask you.” Regina snapped.

“I know, I’m doing it anyway. That’s what makes me so nice.” I called back to her.

Graham led me to Henry’s room. “He’s not going to want to talk with you.” Graham explained calmly to me.

I smirked. “And why wouldn’t he? I’m the closest thing he has to a friend.”

“That might be, Mary Beth, but he’s still a kid, and kids can be a bit...emotional.” Graham tried to explain.

That made me shake my head at him. “Except I  _ know _ why he’s upset, so I know he’ll talk to me about it.”

The boy had closed the door, no doubt locking it too.

I knocked softly on it. “Hey, H-man, can we talk?”

_ “No.” _

Looking to Graham, I gave him a subtle head nod to take a step back. He was giving me a knowing look. He did step back, though. 

“Henry.” I whispered to the door. “Can I come in?”

There was a small silence.

_ “Is mom with you?” _

“No.”

_ “...okay.” _

Pushing the door open, I peeked inside to see Henry curled up on his bed.

“I told you she would believe, never said  _ when _ she would.” I admitted as I walked in.

Henry seemed confused, then he understood. “Oh.”

I smirked. “Everyone loves it when I do that.” I let the smirk drop into a serious expression. “Your mom needs to see just how bad Regina is. She’s gonna stay because she loves you already, Henry.”

The boy couldn’t keep a flat expression at that. His grin stretched past his cheeks. “She will?”

“I promise you, Henry Mills, that I will keep Emma in Storybrooke until this Curse is broken.” I promised, crossing over my heart. “That’s a royal vow, you got that?”

The boy gave me a happy smile. “Thanks Morgan.”

“Email me later, okay? I’m not having my friend get sick on me.”

Then I left. It was too weird to be left inside the Mills house for tonight. I’d call Henry in the morning, to see if a night’s sleep had done him any good.

“I’m going home. Thanks for bringing Henry back, Emma.” I gave her a curt nod.

Emma broke out of her daze. “Hey. Yeah.” She shook her head to clear it. She motioned to her car. “Still need that ride?”

“Nah. I live right over there.” It was worth it to see Emma’s look of surprise. 

Emma whistled. “Your parents are loaded.”

“So was the gun that killed them.” I revealed, nonchalantly. Had the Spencer’s died of gunshot wounds in the Curse? Didn’t matter, that was a cool thing to say.

Before she could say anything I made my way back to that house. 

 

==BOL==

_ Underworld _

 

The deepest part of the Underworld wasn’t actually the Bad Place. Though everyone liked to think that. No one thought beyond their own problems, the things they needed to get over before crossing over.

The Basement was my problem.

Stepping of the large staircase, I felt a harsh chill run up my spine.

Just because I was dead didn’t mean I was suddenly unafraid. 

_ “Μόνο μια καρδιά χωρίς φόβο μπορεί να περάσει.” _ I read off. “Zeus, has anyone ever told you that you’re annoying?” I spoke into the sky. 

_ ‘That’s right, Muerte, pick on the god who is helping to give you life.  _ Nothing _ could go wrong with  _ that _ plan!’ _

“Fair point...so only a heart without fear can pass?” I asked the air, though more preferably Zeus could hear it.

He must not have heard. Nothing happened.

“My fear? You think I am not already facing my fear? That by being here, I’m actually about to go through my biggest fear: forgetting. I’m going to forget all that I am, all that I’ve been, all the people I’ve loved. Yes I am afraid, I would be stupid to be anything else, but fear does not rule me. By standing here, I prove that. Now  _ let me in _ .”

There was a long moment of quiet. Ah, this was just like that ass. He loved messing with my head. He was kinda like his brother in that way.

Then door opened with a loud  _ clack _ .

I smiled sweetly up at the ceiling. “Thank you, Zeus.”

Though, I was still unsure about this. I had been honest. Following Rumple in this Curse would be my greatest fear. If I had a heart, it would be racing. 

It had been so long since I felt my heart beating...what would it even be like to feel the heart in my chest?

Stepping inside the ancient room, I eyed the beautiful tree. This was it. No going back, now.

There were some everlasting pyres lit, giving the room a more mythical look. The tree itself was small, practically a baby. The kind of tree you’d use for shade Up Above. The leaves were a bright green, fresh as spring itself. The fruits were purple. They looked like eggplants, hanging from the thin branches with an ease that only came from magic.

It was so sad to think that this tree bloomed in the place of it’s predecessor. What a beauty it must have been. What a beauty this tree would one day become.

I reached out for one of the fruits. They were light in my hand, firm as a peach. I gave the tree one more look, I let myself have one small moment of doubt. One moment of letting every consequence run through my mind.

Then I plucked the fruit and took a bite.

It tasted of grapes, filling my mouth with a large amount of juice. I had to quickly swallow if the magic would work.

When it did, it brought me to my knees.

My heartbeat was so unfamiliar. Blood moved under my skin, hammering worse than any storm. 

My hand reached up to my hair. My fingers ran through it as the warmth of rushing blood returned. It’d gotten so used to being without a pulse, without needing to breathe. It was taking some adjustment.

Not that there was time for such things. There was a  _ pulse _ , like an extra big heartbeat. This was a magic pulse.

“The Savior is coming.” I breathed in realization.

There wasn’t much time. With a wave of my hand, I flashed out.

 

==BOL==

_ Storybrooke _

 

“Holy cow. She’s  _ still here!” _ I squealed.

When I came into work I knew to expect Emma Swan in lock up. 

It had been an unsettling morning to start with. The memories of Muerte coming back to life took a few minutes. I made sure to write everything down for future reference.

It was freeing to see something  _ normal _ , something  _ canon _ , like Emma Swan in jail.

Graham turned to me. He shrugged in a  _ ‘what can you do’ _ gesture.

“Leroy! If I’m going to let you out, you need to behave.” Graham scolded. “Put on a smile and stay out of trouble.”

The cursed Dwarf gave him a sarcastic smile that quickly fell flat.

“Leroy, you should be in show business.” I teased, sitting at one of the desks. “With amazing acting skills like that.”

Leroy snorted, waving me off. “I’ll do show business, sister, when you become a nun.”

“Oh you don’t play fair.”

Emma stared at me. “Seriously?” Emma asked, looking to the sheriff. 

Graham smiled.

“Regina’s drinks are a little stronger than we thought.” He explained to her.

“I wasn’t drunk. There was a wolf standing in the middle of the road.” Emma explained. 

“A wolf.” Graham repeated. “Right.”

The blonde huffed. She turned her frustration to me. “You’re a cop?” Emma questioned, eyebrow raised.

“Technically.” I grinned. My knuckles knocked on the desk beside me. “Got my own desk, see!”

“You’re  _ not _ an officer.” Graham reminded. “You’re a mortician.”

“You’re not a sheriff. You’re a buzzkill.” Was my reply, as a reasonable adult. 

Emma rolled her eyes at us both.

Regina came rushing in. She made a beeline line for Graham. “Graham! Henry’s run away again. We have to-” She stopped when she saw Emma, still inside her cell. “What is  _ she _ doing here?”

“Cause I work here.” I answered, purposefully misinterpreting her question. Her irritation face was just  _ precious. _

Regina huffed. She gave me a look that  _ promised _ pain later. “Do you know where he is?” She pointedly asked Emma.

“Honey, I haven’t seen him since I dropped him at your house.” She answered tiredly. “And, I have a pretty good alibi.” She indicated the bars.

“Yeah, well, he wasn’t in his room this morning.” Regina countered. 

“Did you try his friends?” Emma asked, giving a meaningful look towards me.

I smiled brightly at Regina. She ignored me, as usual. “He doesn’t really have any. He’s kind of a loner.”

“Every kid has friends.” Emma argued.

“Mary Beth.” Graham brought attention to me.

“I exist.” I smiled politely, not unlike Leroy when he left. “I’m Henry’s friend.”

“You’re friends with my son?” Regina hissed.

“Last I checked. He’s been calling me that for two months.” I added helpfully. “But Graham’s known since yesterday. Emma too.”

Regina didn’t like that much more.

“Has he emailed you today?” Emma asked.

I shook my head. “He’s not big on emailing. We usually talk at Granny’s after school.” I tapped the desk again. “He  _ may _ have written me a draft, and forgotten to send it. I gave him my email address in case he ever needed it.”

“And just how do you know all of this?” Regina snapped.

“Finding people is what I do.” Emma  explained. “Here’s an idea. How about you guys let me out and I’ll help you find him.”

Regina caved.

 

==BOL==

 

Somehow, she was angrier taking us to Henry’s room.

Emma had already set herself up at Henry’s desk.

She opened up his email account. Fortunately, Henry had cleared his inbox.

“Smart kid-cleared his inbox.” “I’m smart too. A little hard disk recovery utility I like to use-”

“I’m a bit more old fashioned in my techniques.” Graham explained from his position beside Emma. “Pounding the pavement, knocking on doors, that sort of thing.”

“You’re on salary. I get paid for delivery. Pounding the pavement is not a luxury that I get.” Emma explained. She typed away at the computer.

“Lucky. I’m part time.” I added. Unable to help myself, I glanced at the other emails Henry had deleted. Mostly stuff from me, with a few scattered emails from what I guessed where classmates. There was a couple from  teachers about school stuff, I ignored it. “I get paid by the hour.”

“Work’s hard, kid.” Emma replied with a perfectly sarcastic voice. I laughed at her assessment. “Huh. His receipt for a website-  _ whosyourmomma.org _ . It’s expensive.” She turned back to Regina. “He has a credit card?” Emma asked, surprised.

“He’s ten.” Regina replied, coldly. The unspoken  _ ‘you should know, you gave birth to him’ _ was left there.

“Well, he used one. Let’s pull up a transaction record.” Emma “Mary Margaret Blanchard… Who’s Mary Margaret Blanchard?”

The look on Regina’s face lifted my heart. She sneered at the screen, giving me a barely passing glance. “Henry’s teacher.” Regina answered.

This was said in the same voice one would describe a gum under your shoe.

_ ‘I love family reunions.’ _

 

==BOL==

 

Emma drove me here in the Bug. The Mayor had nearly gone over the speed limit to get to get to the school. 

Regina was forcing her way through a crowd of children. I smiled at each of them, kindly letting them pass me by. Emma and I barely made it inside to see the usually submissive schoolteacher greet the pissed off mayor.

“Miss Mills. What are you doing here?” As usual, Margaret didn’t meet Regina’s eyes.

“Where’s my son?” She hissed.

“Henry? I assumed he was home sick with you.” Margaret excused.

Regina “You think I’d be here if he was?” Regina countered. Margaret didn’t give an answer. She made a passing glance at myself before looking at Emma. Now, Emma she wasn’t looking away from. My smile widened at the idea of Snow White realizing she was looking at her daughter, who looked so much like David. “Did you give him your credit card so he can find her?”

The schoolteacher kept staring at Emma. “I’m sorry, who are you?”

“I’m his...” The bondswoman stuttered, seemingly meeting Margaret’s unwavering stare. “I’m his...”

“The woman who gave him up for adoption.” Regina deadpanned. “And I’m presuming you know _ Doctor  _ Spencer.”

_ ‘How insulting is it that she’s the only one that calls me that?’ _

Margaret only huffed. She put her purse down on the desk. “Yes. Hello Beth.”

“Hey Margaret.” I gave her a small wave.

“Beth and Margaret?” Emma asked.

I nodded. “Well we’re both called ‘Mary’. It’s...weird to call her by my name. So I’m Beth, and she’s Margaret. It’s a Mary thing...or is it a  _ ‘merry’ _ thing?” Emma rolled her eyes at the joke. “Oh come on. That was funny!”

Emma went back to looking at Magaret. “You don’t know anything about this do you?”

“No, unfortunately not.” She replied. She pulled out her wallet. After a brief search,  a bright smile came to her face. “Clever boy… I should never have given him that book.”

“What in the hell is this book I keep hearing about?” Regina demanded in her Queen voice.

“Just some old stories I gave him.” Margaret excused. “As you well know, Henry is a special boy. So smart, so creative, and as you might be aware, lonely.” the last bit was said with bite. Margaret may now be Snow, but she had the princess’ protection towards her people. “He needed it.”

It made me smile to see her stand up to Regina, in any way.

“What he needs is a dose of reality. This is a waste of time.” Regina instructed. She turned to the oor, making a dramatic non-magical exit. In her full horribly petty attitude, she knocked down a stack of school books. “Have a nice trip back to Boston.” She told Emma, smugly. “And get back to work,  _ Doctor _ Spencer.”

No one moved until Regina left the room.

The three of us went to the books. I took a step back when it was clear the small space would be overcrowded. Margaret and Emma lifted up the heavy books.

“Sorry to bother you.” Emma apologized.

The Cursed mother/daughter pair kept matching their looks. It was  _ so _ perfect that I  _ had _ to tell Henry about this later. “No it’s...It’s okay.” Margaret comforted. “I hear this is partially my fault.”

“It’s not, Margaret.” I assured. “Henry’s a smart kid.”

There was a matching small smile shared on mother and daughter. Neither saw it on the other, soon brushing it aside to pick up the books.

“How’s the book supposed to help?” Emma asked.

Margaret looked at Emma in surprise. “What do you think stories are for?” Emma grimaced at her. “These stories are classics. There’s a reason we all know them.” Margaret put the books down on a nearby counter. “They’re a way for us to deal with our world. A world that doesn’t always make sense.”

The three of us made our way out of the classroom.

“It really has helped him, Margaret.” I complimented. The teacher smiled, grateful. “He’s come out of his shell, helped me out of mine even!”

“I know. I can see it in his work. He’s smiling more in class.” Margaret explained. The teacher suddenly winced. She turned to Emma. “Not that he wasn’t smiling before. Just that...see, Henry hasn’t had the easiest life.”

Emma seemed to understand. “Yeah, she’s kind of a hardass.”

“No, it’s more than her. He’s like any adopted child.” Margaret explained. “He wrestles with that most basic question they all inevitably face-”

“Why would anyone give me away?” I interrupted, the question very personal to me. 

The bondswoman stopped in the middle of the hallway. She looked at me in surprise.

“The Spencer’s died a long time ago, for me.” I admitted. “I was adopted, when I was really young. I don’t know my birth parents either, or if they even wanted me. I think that’s why Henry and I ended up staying friends. We both never knew.” When your family doesn’t have the same powers as you, you start to wonder if your were the unfortunate cuckoo in their nest. “He’s never held it against you, though, ever.”

The words had hit home. “Oh.” It was quiet. She managed to get back her ‘tough’ face back on.

“Look, I gave the book to him because I wanted Henry to have the most important thing anyone can have. Hope.” Margaret explained.

Emma made a barely hidden grimace.

“Believing in even the  _ possibility _ of a happy ending is a very powerful thing.” Margaret finished.

“You know where he is, don’t you?” Emma asked after a pause.

Margaret and I exchanged a look. “You might want to check his castle.”

 

==BOL==

_ Enchanted Forest _

 

One thing I didn’t miss about being alive was pain. Hearing Snow White scream in agonized labor pains, made me happy I had been dead. 

I hid in the darkest corner of the room. My magic hadn’t left despite my being alive. If anything, it was stronger now. It flared with each heartbeat, with every breath I took.

My magic was hiding me from sight. It was difficult to keep up the spell. Usually it took work to be seen, not I had to work to avoid it.  _ Ugh _ , I miss being dead.

She was holding Charming’s hand. Doc was doing what he could. I knew there was no chance. The Savior was coming  _ tonight _ .

“I can’t have this baby now!” The Queen cried out.

“Doc, do something.” Charming ordered. The dwarf nodded. Charming went back to his wife. “It’s going to be okay. The wardrobe is almost finished, just hold on.”

Snow responded by screaming more.

Geppetto came in the room. I knew it was too late to save Snow. The Savior would have her chance. “It’s ready.”

Charming was lifting the in-labor Snow. Doc stopped him. “It’s too late. We can’t move her.”

True to point, the little princess came no more than five minutes later. 

You never forget the cries a child makes when they first come to the world. The kind of crying that makes you want to hold them, never letting them go for anything.

“At least we have each other.” I heard Charming say to his wife, somewhere while I lost in my memories. Best do it now, while I still have them.

_ ‘...hearing him cry so loudly...’ _

_ ‘...brushing down on his soft hair, releasing all too soon that my fingers could not feel it...’ _

“We have to give her her best chance.”

_ ‘...ogres...’ _

_ ‘...fourteenth birthday...’ _

_ ‘...the  _ blade _...’ _

That had been a horrible idea. I don’t know why I let myself dwell on such dark times. With a small burst of magic, I went to the Cave.

 

==BOL==

_ Storybrooke _

 

It was another trip in the Bug for me. I had given directions, despite only having  _ been  _ to the Castle the one time. It was better to meet at Granny’s. They had food.

“She’ll be comin’ round the mountain when she comes.” I sang as we pulled up to the small lot.

The scene was a sad sight. One lone, broken down playground, with one tiny kid in the middle of it.

Emma and I went up to the playground. She stopped at the edge of the sand barrier.

“What is it?” I asked.

Emma motioned to the playground. “Go. You’re his best friend. Give him a pep talk.”

That earned her a knowing look. “You know as well as I do, Emma Swan, that I am not the person he wants to talk to right now.”

_ ‘Traitor’ _ , her green eyes seemed to say.

_ ‘For the kids, always.’ _ Mine replied.

The woman’s shoulders slumped in defeat. She moved herself towards the castle, where Henry stared out at the coastline.

I followed, leaning back on one of the towers.

She handed him the book. “You left this in my car.” Henry’s only acknowledgement was to hold the book. Emma followed his line of sight. In the distance, you could see the unmoved clocktower. “Still hasn’t moved, huh?”

The view was from castle was amazing. It made sense that Henry figured out we were all fairytales. The view could make even Scrooge see the beauty of it. Storybrooke had not been so magical since it’s creation.

“I was hoping that when I brought you back, things would change here. That the final battle would begin.” Henry admitted.

“I’m not fighting any battles, kid.” His mother tried to explain.

“Yes, you are. Because it’s your destiny. You’re going to bring back the happy endings.” Henry explained, proud of his birth mother.

“Can you cut it with the book crap.” Emma grumbled.

“You don’t have to be hostile. I know you like me- I can tell.” I had to agree with him at that. “You’re just pushing me away because I make you feel guilty. It’s okay. I know why you gave me away. You wanted to give me my best chance.”

“How do you know that?” She asked after a long pause.

“Because it’s the same reason Snow White gave you away.” I answered.

“Listen to me, you two. I’m not in any book, neither is she. We’re real people. And I’m no Savior.” The bondswoman explained with all the grace of a mother. “You’re both right about one thing, though.” She looked meaningfully at Henry. “I wanted you to have your best chance. But it’s not with me.”

She and Henry were tearing up. A part of me wish I had magic, so I could teleport away. I was never good in this situations. They always felt so awkward for me, more so when I knew an argument followed.

“Come on, let’s go.” Emma hopped off the castle, starting towards her car.

Her song stopped her. “Please don’t take me back there. Just stay with me for one week. That’s all I ask. One week, and you’ll see I’m not crazy!” He begged.

“I have to get you back to your mom.” Emma explained. The words sounded as if they had torn right through her heart.

“You don’t know what it’s like with her. My life sucks!” Henry shouted. I walked to his side, slipping my hands in my pockets to be a silent party for now.

“Oh, you want to know what sucking is? Being left abandoned on the side of a freeway.” Emma argued at him. Henry was silenced but Emma was on a roll. She couldn’t stop now. “My parents didn’t even bother to drop me off at a hospital. I ended up in the foster system and I had a family until I was three, but then they had their own so then they sent me back.”

The wind had left her wings. She let out a short, but heavy, sigh. “Look, your mom is trying her best. I know it’s hard and I know sometimes you think she doesn’t love you, but at least she wants you.”

“Oh, Emma Swan. Your parents didn’t leave you on the side of a freeway. They’d never dream of doing something so cruel to you.” I explained. The memories from Muerte had shown me that much. The show hadn’t captured how much love had been in that room, how loud Snow’s sobbing actually was when she knew she had to send Emma away. “That’s just where you came through.”

Emma looked at me in cautious confusion. “What?”

“The wardrobe.”  _ ‘Can’t trust the Blue Fairy to do anything right _ .’ Emma had grown up feeling unwanted, and alone. Fairies have absolutely _ no _ perspective on the needs of the few. “When you went through the wardrobe you appeared in the street. Your parents were trying to save you from the Curse.”

That was when I lost her. “Sure they were.” She took her son by the arm, taking him away. “Come on, Henry.”

“Emma!” I called after her.

It was too late. She was already taking Henry away.

When Henry looked back to me, all I could do was smile and hope it looked encouraging.

 

==BOL==

_ Enchanted Forest _

 

The Curse was coming. The Savior was being born  _ right now _ . As the world was falling apart, I stayed with Rumplestiltskin.

He was trapped behind the rotting bars. You could hear the rush of wind from the Curse spreading. 

It was all happening so fast. It felt all too soon. In this new world, where everyone would see me and where I was going to have a beating heart. I was excited to feel it beating again.

I was scared about the one part of the Curse that I couldn’t avoid.

“We’ll remember, right?” I asked him, in a panic.

The Dark One nodded. “It may take a while, but it will all come back to us.”

“And we’ll know each other, yes?” I pressed. “In this world. We’ll know each other, be friends? It was hard enough getting you to trust me the first time around.”

“You  _ were _ a difficult person to trust.” Rumplestiltskin stated.

The statement hurt. Not that it wasn’t true, I was an odd person when we met as Dark One and Queen of the Dead. He hadn’t know  _ anything _ about  _ anything.  _ That sentence felt worse than any Dark Curse. “Was I?”

“Well you never answered my questions, Muerte.” Came his ever so helpful reply. “You were never content unless it was some long winded riddle. I’m still in the dark concerning your real name.”

“Those riddles were supposed to be fun!” I argued weakly. “You can’t say they weren’t  _ somewhat _ fun...like the ones I’ve been giving you here.”

Rumplestiltskin’s stony expression cracked. It turned into a wide grin, the kind he had given back in the Dark Castle before Belle and Regina and Cora. The kind that showed me the man deep inside,  _ the good beneath the Beast _ as Belle used to say. “They did well to pass the time. They helped me forget.”

Which was as close as I would ever get to him saying ‘ _ yes _ ’.

 

==BOL==

_ Storybrooke _

 

It had been a long trek back to the Spencer house. The sky had gone dark long ago. I’m sure Henry had emailed me, wanting to know how we would break the Curse now.

The maid (I’d learned her Curse name was Aimee de Alva) had come and gone. I remembered that woman from the Underworld, the one whose family had been with Muerte since death, I wondered how this woman felt about basically being drafted to help me. Or, how she’d feel when the Curse broke. That was sure to be a good day.

My phone rang, annoyingly. How could I adjust to these new memories when that stupid phone was ringing? Granted, it was a cool ringtone of the Star Trek theme, but it was  _ distracting! _

Containing my annoyance for later, I pulled the phone up to my ear. “You called me.” I answered with a verbal eye roll. There might’ve also been a  _ “what do you want” _ angrily thrown in.

_ “Yes I did. Why am I surprised that you have the longest voicemails on my phone?” _

There was intelligence in his voice. The intelligence you could only get by living for three centuries. Oh, I would’ve started singing like a Disney Princess!

A blissful feeling came over me. “It’s about damn time, you ass.” Came my snarky reply into the phone. “I’ve been here for  _ weeks _ , waiting for you to wake up. I was this close to saying ‘Emma’ myself!”

Gold chuckled on his side. This weird laugh that was annoyed and fond.  _ “I might have thanked you for it.” _

“You damn well would have. I’d’ve  _ made _ you thank me.” My voice was getting oddly emotional. “How about we catch you up on the Curse tomorrow. Our usual spot?”

_ “It’s still annoying when you know things I don’t.” _ Gold complained in a  _ really _ grown up voice of  _ dryness _ . Oh, how I’d missed it.

“So I annoy you all the time?” I teased.

_ “I’d never tell. _ ”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to hurt my feelings.”

_ “Well thank the gods that you do know better. You’re a right horror to me when you get into one of your moods.” _

“You were the horror!” I argued childishly. “You’d turn me into a snail then crush me!”

_ “You were a ghost. You’d just come back to annoy me further. Can we please focus on the problems at hand, instead of one of the past?” _ Gold requested, soundinging done with this argument. I took that as a victory for me.

“Like how Emma Swan doesn’t believe in magic? You must still be under the Curse,  _ dearie _ , if you forgot then most well known fact in every realm. I have a plan for everything.” _ ...that was a lot less ominous in my head. _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Here you guys go! I’ve been working on a Hobbit fic (which should be published by now, as well as my Supernatural story, and some one-shots). I’m back in college too (math and psych classes) and that’s been taking up time. There’s been college, the next semester of college, I took the whole month of June off for some much needed R&R.
> 
> Hope everyone enjoys the chapter. Leave a review!


	4. The Thing You Love Most

_Storybrooke_

 

There was a freshness to the air that morning. The world felt brighter.

Henry emailed me last night. The clock tower had _moved_ . Gold was Awake. It wasn’t a typical _‘feel good moment’_ but it was making me incapable of frowning this morning.

It was an early morning for me either way.

I was eating some muffins from Granny’s, having gotten up too early for Aimee to show up. Graham met me for breakfast. He had been surprised to see me here. This wouldn’t become commonplace, I assured him.

There were newspapers being sold outside, I picked one up. There was an absolutely awful photo of Emma on the front. She looked drunk, but it was all just from the head injury.

“Did we _really_ have to take that photo?” I asked Graham. “She looks dead on her feet.”

Graham sighed. “You know it’s protocol. Besides, you weren’t even there, Mary Beth. She could’ve been drunk.”

“Could have, yes. But how? She didn’t ask about any sort of hotel, or bar. She was there to drop off Henry, then go.”

“Oi. Quit it with the detective work. We don’t pay you for that.” Graham joked. I snorted. “Maybe Emma had the drinks in her car.”

“Maybe I’m getting overtime.” I shot back. “With Henry along for the ride? And working in law enforcement? No. There weren’t any drinks in the car, you would’ve found them.” I crossed my arms on the table, looking up at Graham.

The sheriff didn’t say anything that time.

“Here you go.” Ruby gave Emma a warm mug of hot chocolate.

“Thank you. But I did not order that.” Explained Emma.

“Yeah, I know. You have an admirer.” Ruby walked off, winking in the direction of my table.

Graham smiled kindly at the approaching blonde. I copied the smile, not doubt a sarcastic glint in my eyes. “Ah, so you decided to stay.” He cheered to her.

“Observant. Important for a cop.” Emma remarked.

“It’s good news for our tourist business, it’s bad for our local signage.” I snickered. “It’s...It’s a joke. It’s because you ran over our sign.” He tried to recover. It didn’t work so well.

“Look, the cocoa was a nice gesture, and I am impressed that you guessed that I like cinnamon on my chocolate because most people don’t, but I am not here to flirt. So thank you, but no thank you.” Emma explained. She put her hot chocolate down on the table.

“ _I_ would never share my feelings with you that early.” I admonished, helping out Graham from the awkward light Emma had him under. “But anyway, I wouldn’t send hot chocolate. You’d find your bug full of your favorite candle, candy, and then funny cards.”

Emma gave me a side eyebrow. I conceded. She turned to Graham. “ _I_ didn’t send it.” He held up his hands.

That was when the true culprit made himself known. “I did.” Henry turned around in his booth. I got the impression of a Bond villain, and was surprised Henry wasn’t holding a cat. “I like cinnamon, too.” He gave Emma a knowing grin, climbing out of his booth.

The blonde sighed. I snickered. “Don’t you have school?” She asked.

“Duh. I’m ten.” He pulled his backpack up on his shoulders. “Walk me.”

The mother and son were making their way out of the diner.

“Nu-uh. I’m not missing _this_.” I threw my share of the bill on the table. Graham spluttered, trying to stop me. “See ya at work!”

“Spencer your shift will start-”

But I was already gone.

The mother and son were just about to cross the street. I bounced next to Henry.

“Zup H-man.” I held up my hand for a high-five.

Henry happily slapped it.

“Do you always invite yourself to people’s personal business?” Emma asked but her eyebrow was up in amusement.

“I think they lose my invitations in the mail.” I chirped.

Emma gave me another side eyebrow. She was good at those.

The street was clear of cars, so we crossed. “So, what’s the deal with you and your mom?” Emma asked, pulling an apple out of her jacket pocket. She started tossing it between her two hands.

“It’s not about us, it’s about her curse. We have to break it.” He grinned at me. “Luckily, Mary Beth and I have a plan. Step one - identification. We call it Operation Cobra.”

“Cobra? That has nothing to do with fairy tales.” Emma pointed out.

“Which is why Regina will _never_ get a clue.” I explained, turning my body so I was walking backward. Henry giggled at me. “It’s genius!”

“So, everyone here is a fairy tale character. They just don’t know it.” Emma stated, skeptically.

“That’s the curse. Time’s been frozen- until you got here.” Henry explained

“The clock moved-Emma. _Moved_. Time’s moving again.”

The blonde lifted the apple to her mouth.

“Hey! Where’d you get that?” Henry asked loudly.

Emma raised her eyebrow, moving the apple from her mouth.“Your mom.”

“Don’t eat that!” He grabbed the apple, throwing it behind us.

“Actually, Henry, there’s no magic here so Regina couldn’t have poisoned it.” I explained, staring at the forlorn apple.

Henry shook his head. “No. She still could’ve done something. It’s better safe than sorry.”

“Okay, uh... Alright. What about their pasts?” Emma tried to find some normal boring human logic.

“They don’t know. It’s a haze to them.” Henry explained. “Ask anyone anything. And you’ll see.”

“I’ll take a shot at it.” I stood ramrod straight, trying to copy the Vulcan stance. “My parents took me in, I don’t know at what age. They raised me, I can’t remember any of my classmates or teachers or friends. They died, but I can’t remember when. Someone snuck into our home, they had _something_ but I can’t remember what but I know I was in the room with them.” I stared up at Emma. “Shouldn’t I remember stuff like that?”

Emma was unsure on that. She looked like she believed parts of it. “So, for decades, people have been walking around in a haze, not aging, with screwed up memories, stuck in a cursed town that kept them oblivious.”

“We knew you’d get it.” Henry cheered. Emma rolled her eyes, not that Henry noticed. “That’s why we need you. You’re the only one who can stop her curse.” Henry stated.

“Because I’m the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming?” Emma asked.

“Yes. And right now, we have the advantage. My mom doesn’t know that.” He pulled the pages out from his backpack. “I took out the end. The part with you in it. See? Your mom is Snow White.”

Emma shook her head, smiling fondly but aggravated. “Kid-”

Henry interrupted again. “I know the hero never believes at first. If they did, it wouldn’t be a very good story.”

The future Savior started to walk away.

“If you need proof, take them. Read them. But whatever you do, don’t let her see these pages.” Henry warned. “They’re dangerous. If she finds out who you are, then it would be bad.”

The boy walked ahead. I turned myself around so I was walking normally, keeping pace with Emma.

“So you don’t actually believe this stuff, right?” Emma asked me. She was glancing at her origin story, not caring for much of the details but the image of her father.

“Maybe it’s real, Maybe it’s not.” I explained, carefully. “For me, there are too many coincidences to simply ignore. Maybe someone in town wrote the book. Maybe no one likes talking about their past to a ten year old. _Maybe_ -just maybe- that same ten year old discovered something none of us have.” Looking up at Emma, I lightly tapping her arm. “I look forward to finding out which one.”

The blonde stared at me for a long moment, before going back to the pages.

 

==BOL==

 

We arrived at Henry’s school when the warning bell rang.

“Have fun at school, you little nerd.” I tapped his shoulder.

He smiled at me. “You too, big nerd.” He turned to Emma. “I got to go. But I’ll find you both later and we can get started. I knew you’d believe me!” He ran off towards the school.

Emma shrugged, unsure. “I never said I did.”

“Why else would you be here?” He called back.

I laughed. Margaret walked up to us, she smiled kindly at me. “It’s good to see his smile back.” She complimented.

“I didn’t do anything. Mary Beth’s done more than me.” Emma tried to downplay it.

“You stayed.” Margaret countered. Emma didn’t argue that. “So, does the Mayor know you’re still here?”

“Oh, she knows. What is her deal?” Emma asked. Margaret and I scoffed, mutually rolling our eyes. “She’s not a great people person. How did she get elected?”

“She’s been mayor for as long as I can remember.” Margaret answered.

This answer seemed to click something together in Emma’s head. She glanced at me. In the spirit of fairness, I smiled innocently.

“No one’s ever been brave enough to run against her. She inspires quite a bit of, well, fear.” Margaret went on, oblivious to the silent conversation. “I’m afraid I only made that worse by giving Henry that book. Now he thinks she’s the Evil Queen.”

“Who does he think the two of you are?” Emma asked.

The cursed school teacher blushes. “Oh, it’s silly.”

“I just got five minutes of silly.” Emma assured. “Lay it on me.”

“Queen Muerte of the Dead.” I answered.

Emma quirked her eyebrow. “Haven’t heard of her before.”

“She’s really obscure, apparently.” I held my arms up. “I know. Perfect for me, right?”

“You’re lucky. He thinks I’m _Snow White_.” Margaret answered.

Emma, mind the pun, _blanched._

“Who does he think you are?” Margaret asked, once again oblivious to the blonde’s internal debate.

“I’m not in the book.” Emma mumbled. “Thank you.”

Margaret smiled. She waved to me before leaving to go to class.

Emma turned to me. I smiled knowingly.

“Archie works off Main Street.” I reported.

“How did you know I was looking for his therapist?”

“I was there when you met him, Swan.” My smile was kind. “Who else would give you the facts about Henry you don’t want to get from me?”

 

==BOL==

_Underworld_

 

Lucia stared me down.

The stare was returned.

“ _Why_ is there a horse in my house?” Lucia asked.

“Why is there a horse in the Underworld? Get some perspective, Lucia.”

Lucia narrowed her eyes.

“Gustavo was a failed sacrifice from Queen Regina.” Answered me in small fear towards the angry Latina. “Obviously.”

“ _Obviously_.” Lucia responded snidely.

“Well I know that Gustavo’s mane. Regina has it brushed special.”

“You know her horse’s _mane_?” Asked Lucia, skeptical.

“Yeah. Don’t you recognize horse mane styles? It’s a subtle art form-”

“Muerte.” She warned.

My lips closed. “You’re angry today.”

“I wonder why.” She motioned aggressively  to the horse in her parlor. “That _maldito_ _caballo_ has been destroying my parlor for the past four! Deal with it!”

She stormed off.

Gustavo huffed.

“Pfft, I know. Which of us is the actual Queen of Underworld?” I asked.

The black stallion whined. He started backing away from me.

I walked up to the dead horse. The stallion _neighed_ loudly at my approach. It didn’t like me in life either. “Shh, shh.” My hand reached up, feet calmly moving forward.

Gustavo shook his head. His mane shook wild and free.

“Yeah you’re definitely _Regina’s_ horse.” I mused.

Going up to his side, my hand brushed on his neck. He fought me off until he realized my touch wasn’t harmful. Gustavo breathed heavily through his nose.

Lucia had a point, earlier. It was hard to tell a horse apart just by manestyle. The horse took me a long moment to remember him. He seemed almost _naked_ without Regina’s extra saddles and reins. His big black eyes had a larger feel without the eye blocks.

“Poor guy.” My fingers brushed through his smooth mane. “She used your heart for her Curse, didn’t she?”

Gustavo couldn’t use words. His annoyed _huff_ was answer enough.

“Guess she’ll be coming to Rumple soon.” I mused. “Why do _I_ always settle their fights?”

Gustavo didn’t answer.

“I don’t know either...must be my good looks.” I joked.

Until that point, I had no idea horse’s had eyebrows to quirk.

 

==BOL==

 

Emma went off after Archie some time ago. The bondsman had been happy enough with being taken to be rid of me and my crazy. Which I don’t get, I mean, I was perfectly silent on the walk to Archie’s!

After a few hours of boring _work_ , things picked up as Emma was arrested again.

“You know, Emma.” I leaned on the wall near the mug-shot photo poster. The blonde have me a sideways look of endearing annoyance. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you liked the look of our police station. You know we could’ve let you in for a tour.”

“You know the shrink is lying, right?” Emma told Graham, ignoring me again.

“To the right, please.” Graham instructed, pulling out the photo. “Why would he lie?”

“The Mayor put him up to this. She’s got to have something on him. He’s terrified of her like everyone else in this...town.” Emma tried to explain.

The cursed sheriff wasn’t outwardly moved. “To the left.”

“Don’t bother trying. He’s got a thick skull. You’re better off arguing with a five year old.” I explained.

“I _am_ standing right here.” Graham reminded me.

“Yeah, and I argued with you this morning and you _still_ think you’re right.”

“Regina may be a touch intimidating, but I don’t think she’d go as far as a frame job.” Graham told both of us.

“How far would she go? What does she have her hands in?” Emma asked.

“Well, she’s the Mayor. She has her hands in everything.” Graham answered.

“Including the police force?” Emma challenged.

“Only half of it.” I beamed brightly.

Emma couldn’t even fit time in for an unamused stare. Henry came running in, coming to my side. Margaret was behind him.

“Hey!” Henry greeted us. I high-fived him.

“Henry! Henry, what are you doing here?” Graham asked, cautious.

Margaret answered that. “His mother told him what happened.”

“Of course she did.” Emma snapped. “Henry, I don’t know what she said-”

“You’re a _genius_.” Henry cheered.

“What?” Emma blinked.

“I know what you were up to. You were gathering intel for Operation Cobra.” Henry whispered.

“I’m sorry. I’m a bit lost.” Graham looked between the three of us.

“It’s need to know, Sheriff. And all you need to know is that Mary Beth’s going to bail her out.” Henry stated.

“I am?” Henry gave me a quick stare. “I am!” _‘Besides, I’ll get it all back later, right?’_

“You brought him here for this are?” Emma asked Margaret. “Why?”

“Oh I...trust you.” Margaret answered, hesitantly.

Emma glanced down at Henry, who gave her a confident smile. My own smile was assuring, asking for Emma’s trust in me on this. “Well, if you can uncuff me, I have something to do.”

Graham hesitated, before dropping the keys in my hands.

I leaned in close to unlock them, just long enough to say “She keeps it in her garden shed.” Pulling back, I gave the handcuffs to Graham. “Is that everything you needed, Emma?”

The blonde woman nodded. “Yeah.” She smirked. “Thanks.”

Then she went off to go chop down a tree.

I was stuck _posting bail_.

 

==BOL==

_Enchanted Forest_

 

After leaving Gustavo to roam on the plains with other deceased horses, I went back to check on Rumple. If Regina had tried using a _horse_ , then he was going to get a visitor.

As I appeared in his cell, he flinched away. He moved to the other side of the cell, sneering my direction.

“I am _not_ playing cards again!”

“Oh come now. You know that this time I’m playing _chess_.” Was my reply, leaning against the moldy rocks. “Maybe this time I can catch the Queen off guard.”

Rumple laughed madly.

A rat squeaked. I glanced down at it, raising my eyebrow at her.

“It’s just us, dearie. You can show yourself.” Rumplestiltskin chided.

In a plume of black smoke she changed from rat to queen.

“Your undead shadow can show her face.” Regina sneered.

Just to annoy her, I appeared behind her. “Regina.” She whirled to face me. “What brings you to his neck of the woods?”

She pulled out the scroll, waving it in my face. “That curse you gave me- it’s not working.”

“Oh so worried. So, so worried. Like Snow and her lovely new husband.” Rumplestiltskin mused to Regina’s dismay.

“What?”

“They paid me a visit, as well. They were very anxious...about you and the curse.” Rumple explained.

“What’d you tell them?” She hissed at him. She glared at me as well.

“The truth!” He answered. “That nothing can stop the darkness!”

Regina’s dark lips stretched in a grin.

“Except, of course, their unborn child.” Regina was growing concerned now. It was a good look on her. “You see, no matter how powerful, all curses can be broken. Their child is the key. Of course, the curse has to be enacted first.”

“Tell me what I did wrong.” Regina demanded.

“For that, there’s a price.” The Dark One reminded.

She must have expected it. “What do you want?”

“Simple.” It made me hide a giggle in my throat. “In this new land, I want comforts. I want a good life. For myself, and for my associate.”

“Fine. You’ll have estates. Be rich.” Regina promised.

“I wasn’t finished. There’s more!” Rumplestiltskin jumped in.

“There always is with you.” Regina mused.

Rumple laughed. “In this new land, should I ever come to you for any reason, you must heed my every request. You must do whatever I say. So long as I say _‘please’_.”

She turned to sneer at me. “And I suppose _you_ want something?”

“Of course.” My lips stretched out to a near reptilian smile. “In this world, I can befriend _anyone_ I so chose. _You_ can’t do a thing about it.”

“You do realize, that should I succeed, neither of you will remember any of this.” Regina stated, needlessly.

“Oh, well then. What’s the harm?” He tempted.

She narrowed her eyes at him, then at me. I smiled innocently. “Deal. What must I do to enact this curse?”

Rumpelstiltskin made a wild gesture with his arms. “Ask the Queen of Death.”

I cleared my throat, purposefully toying with her. Regina glared in frustration. “You need to sacrifice a heart.”

“I sacrificed my prized steed.” Regina argued.

“I know, I found it in an advisor’s home.” I deadpanned. “It’s ridiculous! This is the curse to end all curses. You think a horse is going to do?” My hand grabbed her neck, pulling her face closer to mine. “Great power requires great sacrifice. The heart you need must come from something _far more_ precious.”

She met my furious glare. “Tell me what will suffice.”

“ _The heart of the thing you love most._ ” I supplied.

“What I love most died because of Snow White.” She growled.

“Ooh. Is there no one else you _twuly_ love? This Curse isn’t going to be easy. Vengeance never isn’t, dearie.” Rumplestiltskin chided. “You have to ask yourself the simple question. How far are you willing to go?”

“As far as it takes.” She sneered as us.

Rumpelstiltskin waved her away. “Then please don’t waste everyone’s time and just do it. You know what you love. _Now go kill it.”_

 

==BOL==

_Storybrooke_

 

An hour later, Graham went off on a call for Regina. He didn’t understand why I kept giggling about it.

Henry and I were meeting at the Castle. I had told him Emma went to chop off a branch of the apple tree. He got excited about that. I was more worried about getting the bail money back and helping with his homework.

“Henry, this talk can wait five minutes.” I tried to convince him. “This is really starting to tick me off, I’m about to do this for you. And I think with both know Margaret will notice.”

“But Morgan this is _everything_!” Henry was bouncing on his toes. “Mom is believing! She’s fighting back! That means everyone is going to get back their memories-”

 _“Henry David Mills!”_ I snapped.

The boy silenced, startled at my loud shout.

“You are moving _way too_ fast. There are _many_ things that need to happen before your mom can even _start_ believing! She needs to have her faith _shaken_ , that can’t happen in a few days! _Calm down._ ”

Henry contained his joy. He straightened his school uniform. “Is my mom gonna be okay?” Henry asked.

“Of course she will be, Henry.” I assured. “Emma’s a Savior, and she can do anything she puts her mind to. She just doesn’t _know it_ yet. We have to give her time.”

“There’s no time.” Henry countered.

“Yes there is. Don’t do that thing where it’s _‘now or die’_ , there is _plenty_ of time for this.” I assured again.

Henry still looked uncertain.

“We’ll meet at her office pretty soon, just before your usual time. Your mom is about to do something pretty risky, and it’ll cause some damage, but we can always get back up. Operation Cobra is _still go_. Okay? Deep breath.”

Henry took a deep breath. Once he calmed his breath, he nodded.

 

==BOL==

 

I was walking Henry to City Hall.

As got closer to Regina’s office. Emma’s voice was echoing down the hall.

“-but putting all that aside. Henry and Mary Beth think everyone in this town is a fairy tale character.” Spoke Emma.

Henry froze.

“And you don’t?” Asked Regina.

“How can I? The poor kids can’t tell the difference between fantasy and reality and it’s only getting worse. It’s crazy.” Commented Emma.

It...hurt a lot more than I thought it would. I’d been called crazy before. Hell I’d been called a _kid_ before. It just never came from someone I was starting to think of as a friend.

“You think I’m crazy?” Henry asked.

Emma whirled around to us. “Henry...Mary Beth.”

Henry ran off. Giving Emma a once over, glancing at Regina, I gave them a dismissive scoff before running after Henry.

The kid was fast. We were outside before I caught up.

“Henry!” I called out to him.

“No!” He snapped, still marching away from me. “No! You lied, just like she did! You think I’m crazy too!”

“She called me crazy too!” I defended, laughing nervously. “I mean, look at me! I’m _insane_. There’s nothing wrong with it-”

“ _She doesn’t believe_! How is she going to break the Curse if she doesn’t believe!” He paused, staring up at me with betrayal. “You knew! You knew she didn’t believe? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m sorry Henry-”

“No you’re not! If you were, you would’ve done something to help my mom believe!”

“Henry. _Please_.” I begged, going down on my knees. “Give her a chance, okay?”

Henry’s bottom lip quivered. He went back to running.

I was left alone...

...somehow it was more depressing than dying.

 

==BOL==

_Underworld_

 

“Stop bringing dead people into my house!” Lucia snapped in my face.

“Stop being so warm and inviting to them, and I will!” I teased.

Prince Henry Mills was standing in my friend’s house. His skin was pale, eyes wide in shock. It’d been a surprise death.

Cautiously, I walked up to him. “Prince Henry?”

He didn’t respond.

I put a hand on Henry’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, Henry.”

He seemed confused. “But...she killed me. I’m dead.”

“Your life upstairs is over, yes. Your life down here has just begun.” I clarified, moving my hand off him. I, instead, wrapped it around his. “Come, it’s time to go. You get to go to the good place.”

“No-no I can’t do that!” Henry rose up to his feet.

My hands raised up, away from his. “Okay. This is your show, Henry. Where are you going?”

“Regina! I need to know she’s okay!”

“She’s still alive.” I assured.

“That Curse...it won’t give her what she wants.” Henry shook his head.

“I know.” I agreed. “It’ll bring misery to her life as well.”

“I can’t just leave my daughter alone to face it!” Henry argued loudly. “No! I’m staying here until I know she’s found her happy ending!”

I smiled fondly.

“Can you get out of my house now?” Lucia asked us both.

Henry seemed to come off his high. “Oh...so sorry. Forgot my manners. Where...am I?”

“Underworld. This _teenager’s_ kingdom.” Lucia pointed a thumb at me. I smiled cordially. “Queen Muerte del Castillo, Queen of the Underworld.”

Henry’s eyes widened.

“Yes. _That_ one.” She started shooing him away. I was starting to chuckle. “Go ride a horse or something. Whatever you royals do.”

Henry laughed, kindness in his eyes. “Oh yes. I don’t think I’ve had a good horseback ride for ages.”

“Just follow the sounds of galloping. It’s not far a walk.” Lucia directed.

He left the house, hopefully later finding Gustavo.

Lucia motioned to Henry. “ _That_ is never happening again.”

“How about this, I get a nice big house where we can fit in all the new people so they never come here again?” I asked, extending a hand.

Lucia accepted it, starting to smile. Her real self coming back to play. “Deal.”

We shook on it.

“So what else do you have today?”

“Oh! Geoffrey was picking some fruits for me. I’m hungry!”

“You hate fruit.”

“...not for much longer.”

 

==BOL==

_Storybrooke_

 

The memory sunk in my mind. I let out a depressed sigh, letting my head thunk on the table.

Aimee had left for the night, I let her go early. She had wanted to stay after seeing my downtrodden face. Graham has barely let me leave work. Neither of them had seen much of the depressed Morgan before.

I put down my warm mug of hot chocolate. There was heat whipped cream on top, with some marshmallows added because it was habit.

Someone knocked on my door. My chest filled with hope that it was Henry (the alive one not the dead one).

Except it wasn’t. She was one generation back.

“Hey.”

My expression was a forced disinterest.

“Just.” Emma “Wanted to say thank you. And.” She looked around my doorway. “Give you back the bail money.” She held out a yellow envelope.

I glared down at it.

“Big house.” Emma mused.

Turning around with a swish, I walked towards my kitchen. Emma sighed behind me. Her boots clicked on the flooring.

Once we were in the kitchen, she saw the mugs of hot chocolate. One mug had cinnamon on it. Emma stared at me in confusion.

“Don’t look so self centered. It was for Henry.” I snapped. “We had a fight, because _someone_ called him _crazy_ , and he thought _I_ was a part of it. The cocoa was a peace offering. I’m surprised _you_ showed up on my porch.”

Emma realized that explanation made sense. It did. I had thought she’d go to Margaret, as she had on TV. I had emailed Henry, offering the cocoa. Guess he wasn’t coming, or talking to me for the next few days. It was surprising to see her here.

“When you bailed me out, you and Mary Margaret said you trusted me.” Emma stated. “Why?”

“Because Henry believes in you.” Was the first thing that popped out of my mouth. “Henry is a good judge of character. If he trusts you, that’s all I need. As for Margaret...I can’t say.”

Emma let her head hit the kitchen island. I didn’t stop her, only moved the mug.  She groaned. “I know I messed up! Regina tricked me.”

“There shouldn’t be a situation where you have to call your son crazy.” Was my cold reply.

“I didn’t mean it like it sounded.”

“Oh you meant crazy in the _nice_ way? Then my apologies, Miss Swan. Obviously the ten year old going to therapy and I should have known better.”

She lifted her head up. She ran a hand through her loose blonde locks before picking up the mug.

“Why do you believe...it?” Emma asked. “The fairytale thing. Is it because of Henry too?”

I paused. Mulling on my answer, I had some of my own hot cocoa. It had a lot of cream, I like it sweet.

“That’s complicated.” Lowering the mug, my hand rested on the warm side. It rotated the mug. It was making that sound of glass moving on smooth hardwood. “Belief for me doesn’t _need_ a reason like your’s does. It’s where my feelings take me. My heart tells me Henry is right.”

“But it’s just...far fetched.”

I shrugged. “So is faith.” My eyes narrowed on Emma’s hand. “You’re leaving, aren’t you?”

She was surprised. “Yes. How did you-”

“You’re running away from a problem because the solution is difficult.” I deadpanned. Before Emma could snap or plead, I said “I do the same thing. I left high school because the kids wouldn’t leave me alone.”

Emma snorted. “Yeah. It’s for the best. Henry...he’ll just get worse.”

“What If his mother abandoning him a second time pushed him over the edge?” I asked. Emma didn’t answer. “You care about that boy, Emma.”

“How can you know that?”

“Because when Henry ran away crying, you were the only mother of his to be concerned.” I stated. She hadn’t thought of that. “Fight for Henry, Emma Swan, because if you leave him then he will cry, and I will _never_ see him cry _again_. Am I clear?”

The woman blinked at me.

I had some of my cocoa, leaving a whipped cream moustache.

“You’re actually terrifying.” Emma noted.

“My best friend cried today.” I countered. “I’m not terrifying, I’m _dangerous._ Not get out of my house and fix this.”

 

==BOL==

 

_Mom is starting to believe. Thanks Morgan! HM_

_;) MS_

 

==BOL==

 

“Have I missed the newest game?” I asked, catching up to Mr Gold. “I’m thinking this time it’s q

Mr Gold grinned, smugly. “No, I do believe they have just begun.”

I grinned. “Oh, what a delight. I love watching Regina _squirm_.”

Mr Gold takes as we walked up. “What a mess.”

“Not for long. What could I do for you, Mr Gold, Ms Spencer?” I cleared my throat. “ _Dr_ Spencer.”

“I was just in the neighborhood, visiting a friend. Thought we’d pop by.” He motioned to me with his free hand. “Lovely to see you in such high spirits.”

“Well, it’s been a good day. I just rid the town of an unwanted nuisance.” Regina explained, grinning smugly at me as if she knew something I didn’t.

“Emma Swan. Really?” Mr Gold asked.

“Oh yeah. Emma as _all_ in a funk about what happened with Henry.” I shook my head, sighing.

“Yes. I imagine she’s halfway to Boston by now.” Regina boasted.

“Oh, I wouldn’t bet on that.” Mr Gold countered. “I’ve just seen her strolling down the main street with your boy. Thick as thieves, they looked.”

“And Henry just texted me that he’s happy.” I showed off the text to Mr Gold. “See? Oh I love it when families reconnect.”

Regina whirled around to us. “What?”

“Perhaps you should have come to me. If Miss Swan is a problem you can’t fix, I’m only too happy to help.” Mr Gold offered. “For a price, of course.”

“I’m not in the business of making deals with you anymore.” Regina bear growled.

“To which deal are you referring?”

“You know what deal.”

I lightly poked his arm. “ _That_ deal, ya know?”

Mr Gold expression widened in false recognition. “Oh, right. Yeah. The boy I procured for you. Henry. Did I ever tell you what a lovely name that was? However did you pick it?”

She was getting _mad_ at us now. “Did you want her to come to town? You wanted all this to happen, didn’t you? Your finding Henry wasn’t an accident, was it?”

“Whatever do you mean?” Mr Gold asked.

“It’s not relevant to anything _I’m_ aware of.” I spoke up.

“Of course you helped him. Where did you get him? Do you know something?”

“Well when this supposed deal occurred, I was _nine_ , Madam Mayor. How could _I_ have done anything?”

“I think you did something. Who is this woman, his mother, this...Emma Swan?” Regina pressed.

“I would say you think you know exactly who she is.” Mr Gold stared. “We really must be going.”

The two of us made to leave. Regina moved in front.

“Tell me what you know about her.” Regina demanded.

Mr Gold “We’re not going to answer you, dear. So I suggest you excuse us. Please.”

Regina stepped aside.

By the time she realized the ‘ _please_ ’ worked, we were nearly at my house.

_But oh I felt her rage the rest of the night!_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The scene with the hot chocolate was a lot of spur of the moment. As much as I love mother/daughter bonding in the show, I loved the moments where Emma made friends outside her family (which were few and far between because she’s got a HUGE family tree).
> 
> Sorry this took so long! I’ve had a crazy few months! College, church practicum hours, theatre (okay I love the theatre stuff), and my grandma had a heart attack over the weekend (she’s fine now, just a chaotic weekend). So yeah.
> 
> I’m updating a lot of stories in the next few days. Damaged Goods, Night Mistress, An Expected Travel, and then Child Of Nowhere. It’s this or do my school work. My fellow college kids will understand it was an easy choice.


	5. Muerte Rises

_ Underworld _

_ A long time ago _

 

_ ‘Hmm...what a funny shade of red.’ _

I thought it was strange. The sky wasn’t the right color. It made the clouds turn the oddest shade of yellow. Another odd thing was the distinct lack of noises. I couldn’t recall completely what noises I was supposed to hear, only that they were gone. Not exactly standard, correct?

When I woke up, it was of the first things I noticed. My bedroom had a window that caught much of the skyline. The red sky bled into my room, turning what few colors I had away.

Rising up from bed, I stared at the sky. I knew how strange the sky was. How had it taken me so long to notice?  _ Had _ it taken me a while? For another strange reason, I couldn’t remember ever seeing the sky red, or any other color. I just knew the red was wrong.

I got up from my bed. Making my way out of the house, I brushed aside any oddness inside the house. This was my home, right? Nothing should be wrong with it. So why did everything about this place feel  _ wrong _ ?

When I made my way outside, I was met with heat. I recoiled from it at first. After a moment, I came to the sudden realization that I couldn’t feel the warmth. It wasn’t any warmer than it should’ve been. But...with such a red sky...I assumed it would be warm outside.

Strange.

You could have asked me later how long I stood there, mind racing. I couldn’t tell you. I was trying to figure out how my world had changed (or if it even did). So wrapped up in my own mind, I hadn’t heard the woman come up beside me.

“Hello there.”

She was such a surprise I leapt back in fright.

“Oh  _ senora _ , this was on me!” The woman cried out. I was staring at her hair, right now. It was a dark brown, pulled up in a bun on her head. She was dressed in a tan dress, with red lining on the sleeves and bottom of the skirt. “I am so sorry,  _ senora _ ! I did not mean to sneak up on you! Are you alright?”

Instead of answering I observed her face. She had dark brown eyes, though not as dark as her hair. Her skin was a different color than mine; mine was a few shades off from her dress, and hers was lighter brown than her eyes. Her dress was also nicer than mine (a simple gray one). I thought she was beautiful.

“Hello.” I held my hand out to the stranger. “My name’s...well I don’t recall what my name is, presently.”

The woman gasped. “Oh you poor thing! We get a few like you, that forgot their lives Upstairs.”

I tilted my head. In confusion, I looked up at the sky. There was no ‘upstairs’, just the open red sky.

“No! Not a  _ literal _ upstairs.  _ Upstairs _ .  _ La tierra de los vivos.” _ The woman went on. I stared blankly. She huffed. “The land of the living?”

“I knew that.” I excused, confused. “Just...what do you mean by  _ ‘living’ _ ?”

“Oh...poor  _ senora _ ...” The woman pulled me in for a sudden hug. I tensed up. “So sorry. I am Imelda. Come, come. Let’s get you something to ease you in,  _ yes _ ?”

“Ease me into what?” I asked, letting the woman drag me back to my home.

“Where all of us dead people go. Welcome to the Underworld.”

 

==BOL==

_ Storybrooke _

 

Someone had opened my window. That, or they were shining the lamp in my eye.

“Ugh.” Groaning, I rubbed the spots out of my eyes. “What do you  _ want _ ?”

Aimee was staring down at me, eyebrow up. Staring at her, it surprised me how much she looked like the woman from Muerte’s memories in the Underworld.

“Time to get up. You’ve got work in thirty minutes.” She excused her ‘alarm clock’ behavior. 

I groaned into my pillow. “I’ve known Imelda two minutes, and I already like her more.” I mumbled into the pillow.

“Huh?” Aimee asked.

“Nothing! I’m up! Leave me alone!”

Aimee scoffed. “If you say. See you in twenty minutes for the next  _ ‘alarm’ _ .”

She left me room. I moaned, tiredly. My face still in my pillow. I really needed to set my own alarms. “Why do you work for me again?!” I shouted.

“Ma told me if I didn’t she’d have my ass!” Aimee shouted back, walking down the stairs. “Your’s too!”

_ ‘Sounds like Lucia _ .’ I mused to myself. Whether this was part of Regina’s Curse or just happenstance was unclear. 

Henry texted me later that day, so I didn’t get a lot of time between waking up and work to wonder.

 

==BOL==

 

The three of us met at Henry’s Castle. He was holding up the Book. It was on the page with 

“I found your father- Prince Charming.” Henry announced.

I let out a whoop.

“Henry...Mary Beth...” Emma cautioned.

“He’s in the hospital, in a coma.” Henry explained. He pointed at the picture of Prince Charming. “See the scar? He has one, too.”

“So? Lots of people have scars.” Emma excused.

“In the same place?” Henry argued. 

“Yeah. I can believe other matching scars, not one on the chin.” I agreed with Henry.

“Don’t you see what this means? The Curse is keeping them apart with the coma. Now they’re stuck without each other.” Henry explained. Emma didn’t believe it all that much. “We have to tell Miss Blanchard we found her Prince Charming.”

“Okay, kid. Telling someone their... _ soulmate _ is in a coma is probably not helpful. Not having a happy ending is painful enough, but giving someone unrealistic hope is far worse.” Emma told him, careful for his feelings.

“But what if I’m right?” Henry countered.

“He’s got ya there, Swan.” I teased.

“ _ We _ know who they are. Now _ they _ have to know.” Henry finished.

“And how do the two of you intend to make that happen?” Emma challenged.

“By reminding him.” Henry answered. “We have to get her to read their story to John Doe. Then, maybe, he’ll remember who he is.”

“Sounds reasonable. I agree!” I cheered. I raised an eyebrow to Emma.

She caved. My eyebrow of doom could make cities quake. “Okay.”

Henry beamed. “Okay?” 

“Yeah, we’ll do it.” Emma pointed a warning finger at me. “But we’ll do it  _ my _ way.” I snorted in disbelief. “Let me ask her.” Emma insisted.

I dropped my snort. “Deal.”

 

==BOL==

_ Underworld _

 

“What’s the Underworld?” I asked Imelda.

Imelda didn’t answer. She guided me back into my home. She locked the door shut behind us.

“Oh. He gave you a nice house. He always favored the pretty ones.” Imelda mused. She walked me over to one of my chairs. “Please. You should sit.”

Slowly coming to shock, I followed her instruction. 

“I will look for tea.” She patted down on my arm, reassuring. “You stay. Take deep breaths.”

So I followed her instructions. I took deeper breaths. 

“Your kitchen! Oh this is nice. He gave you good things.”

“ _ ‘He’ _ ?” I breathed in, and out. 

“Don’t you worry. Take it slowly.” Imelda instructed.

I heard her fiddling around behind me, in the kitchen I hadn’t seen.

Or perhaps had seen, but can’t remember.

_ Deep breaths, remember deep breaths. _

“Okay...okay.” Swallowing the many lumps in my throat did nothing. More just took their place. I was so confused, nothing was helping. 

“Nothing here that says your name. Unfortunately for you, there was a battle yesterday. Your grave would most definitely be lost amongst the lot of them.” Imelda remarked as she walked back into the room.

She put a cup in my hand. There was a liquid inside. It had a pleasant aroma.

“Drink.” She ordered.

I did. It burnt. “Ow!”

“You were supposed to blow on it first!” Imelda scolded. She took cup out of my grasp.

I was fanning my tongue. “How did- if I’m-  _ hot _ .”

Imelda rolled her eyes. “Oh things like that still work down here. It’s confusing to everyone. You’re alright-” Imelda paused. “You need a name. Something to call you until we find your  _ real _ name.”

There was nothing I could say. My tongue was still burning. 

“How about I call you...Mary Beth?” Imelda guessed.

“That...sounds stupid.” I replied, fanning my tongue.

Imelda put her hands on her hips. “Well if you do not approve, you pick something.”

“I don’t know any!” I defended. “My...my head is empty!”

Imelda hushed me. I slapped my lips shut. She stared at me, stern. My head lowered to my chest. Lights sobs were beginning to take hold of me. Imelda sighed.

“Do not worry,  _ miha _ .” She pulled me in for a hug. “Everything will be fine.”

“Ho-” My lips trembled as I sobbed. “How?”

Ismelda pressed a kiss to my hair. “We will see.”

 

==BOL==

_ Storybrooke _

 

The next day, Emma and I were waiting in Granny’s for Henry.

She’d spent the night in her car again. She’d texted me to bring her a change of shirt, if only while she could find the laundromat to do her own laundry. 

As she walked up, I smiled at seeing a family a few booths down. My cursed memories told me they were the Orsons. How had I just noticed they were the  _ Bears? _ The dad was blowing on his meal for Story’s sake!

“Thanks for the shirt.” Emma grumbled.

I grinned. “No problem.”

She gave it a curious look. “What is this from anyway? Jerry Springer?” I laughed.

“ _ Doctor Who _ .” I corrected. “ _ Empty Child _ and  _ The Doctor Dances _ . I love that episode.” _ ‘Think it’ll be my next trip...or at least after Ironman 2...and Darcy  _ did _ say she wanted to go back to Child’s Play...damn it’s gonna be awhile. I’m sorry Doctor, I’m so sorry.’ _

“She let me watch it.” Henry chimed. “It’s pretty good.”

“Made the boy a fan. He binged watch the episodes on Netflix.” I cheered. “Resistance is futile. You’re next, Swan.”

Emma rolled her eyes. She gave Henry a curious look. “Where does your mom think you are, anyway?”

“Playing Whack-A-Mole.” Henry answered.

“And she bought that?” Emma asked.

“She’s believed in weirder.” I admitted. “One time, she believed Henry was trying out for the decathlon.”

“She bought that?”

“Hook, line, and sinker. Even took Henry out for ice cream when he didn’t make the team.” I explained.

Henry put on a sad face. “I’d tried so hard to win.”

“But not so hard that your mom would’ve had to call the school to put you on the team.” I reminded.

“Obviously.” Henry puffed up his chest, proudly. “That’s a beginner’s move.”

The two of us high-fived. Emma watched us for a moment, then grinned. Clearly she knew which of us was the bad influence. Answer: both.

Margaret walked in a second later.

“She’s here.” Henry whispered to us.

“Hey, don’t get your hopes up. We’re just getting started, okay?” Emma advised him.

Margaret walked up to our table, positively beaming. She took the seat besides Emma. “He woke up.”

“What?” Emma gawked. That was the last thing she expected to hear.

I smirked at her reaction. Oh, her eyes just got so  _ big _ when she was surprised.

“I knew it.” Henry cheered.

“Hold on, Henry, there’s always a catch.” I reminded him, still smirking.

“Right. Yeah.”

“I mean, he didn’t _ ‘wake up’  _ wake up, but he grabbed my hand.” Margaret admitted.

Henry turned to me. I shrugged. “Go ahead. Be excited.”

“He’s remembering!” Henry cheered again.

“What did the doctor say?” Emma asked.

“That I imagined it, but I’m not crazy. I  _ know _ it happened.” Margaret stressed.

“We believe you.” I assured her.

“We have to go back. You have to read to him again.” Henry decided.

Margaret didn’t even stop to consider it. “Let’s go.” She got up to her feet, making her way to the door.

Henry dashed to the door first. He ran out. For the sake of being an adult, I followed him. His mother may not know where he is, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to let him get into trouble.

“Henry! Slow down!” I called out. “My legs are long but body is slow!”

The boy laughed. “Then get faster!”

“Oh you’re gonna  _ get it _ when I catch up to you!” 

 

==BOL==

 

We’d piled into Margaret’s car. Emma’s wasn’t suitable for other humans right now. 

Except as we drove to the hospital I got the summoning text from Graham. Though there wasn’t a dead body, apparently I was being summoned as M.E. just in case. 

“You’re right- he’s waking up.” Henry called over his shoulder to Margaret.

“Then let’s let  _ her _ do it.” I wrapped my arm around Henry’s to pull him back.

The boy looked up at me in confusion. “What are you doing? We need to go!”

Graham approached. He gave me a thankful look. I nodded. “Henry, you should stay back with Mary Beth.” Graham advised.

The other adults came up behind us. Margaret pushed past my shoulder to Graham.

“What’s going on? Is it John Doe? Is he okay?” Margaret bombarded him with questions.

Graham hesitated. He glanced at henry, trying to come up with a way to say this properly for small ears. “He’s missing.” Graham revealed. Margaret and Emma tensed. Graham turned to me. “Did you get my message?”

I nodded, holding up my phone. “It was too late to stop them.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Regina asked Margaret as she stormed up to us.

“Well, my job, I thought.” I replied, smiling to be a jerk.

Regina glared at me then over me to glare at Margaret. My head tilted enough to block the school teacher from her sight. The mayor moved her attention to her son. I kept myself in just the right spot so she wouldn’t lash out to grab his arm. “And you-” She knelt down to his level, reaching her arm to him only to find myself holding his shoulders. Her glare was  _ stronger _ on me. “I thought you were at the arcade. Now you’re lying to me?”

Henry refused to answer.

“What happened to John Doe? Did someone take him?” Margaret asked Graham.

“We don’t know yet.” Graham reported. He kept glancing to me, pretending to do his  job of briefing me on my job. “His IVs were ripped out but there’s no sign for sure there’s a struggle.”

Henry opened his mouth to blame Regina. My hands tightened on his shoulders to silence him.

“Such a strange occurrence.” I mused. “Though not so strange as to have the mayor come here.”

Regina narrowed her eyes. “You think I had something to do with this?”

“Madame Mayor, I’ve only just arrived. It’s too early for that kind of speculation. All I’m doing is making comments about things that I see, which is my job. The only difference between usual and right now is that you’re not a dead body.” I explained, matter-of-factly.

It was all true and Regina knew it. Which is why it was so annoying for her to hear me say it. My job as ME/mortician was to tell Graham anything I found unusual about the bodies for preliminary findings, that he could use in his investigation until autopsy where I could give him more information to use.

There was an added bonus of annoying Regina, and proving to Emma that I  _ did _ know what my job was, thank you. I’m not just an idiot teenagers. I’m an idiot _ working _ teenager.

“It is curious that the Mayor is here.” Emma remarked.

“I’m here because I’m his emergency contact.” Regina replied.

“You know him?” Margaret asked, disbelieving it.

“I found him.” Regina admitted, more to boast to Snow White at finding him first. Probably. Going by her just barely hidden smile. “On the side of the road years ago with no ID. I brought him here.”

“Mayor Mills saved his life.” Dr Whale added as he walked up, further inflating the Evil Queen’s ego. Regina must’ve been dancing for ages when she found Charming first.

“Will he be okay?” Margaret asked in a soft worried voice.

“ _ Okay?”  _ Dr Whale repeated, incredulous. “The man’s been on feeding tubes for years on constant supervision. He needs to get back here right away or, quite honestly, ‘okay’ might be a pipe dream.”

“Well then, let’s quit yapping and start looking.” Emma turned around, marching off to the hallway before being called after by Regina.

“That’s what we’re doing? Just stay out of this, dear.” Emma glared her Charming green eyes at Regina. Regina just pulled Henry out of my arms. “And since I clearly can’t keep  _ either  _ of you away from my son, I guess I’m just going to have to keep my son away from you.”

Henry looked up at me in concern. I winked, making a mouthing for him to email me later. As for Regina I was laughing. _ ‘Her son found US, what’s she gonna do about that?’ _

She walked up to Emma, giving her a once over. “Nice shirt. Nice to see your tastes in shirts is the same as your behavior: childish.” 

Okay _ now _ I was pissed off. You don’t just insult  _ Doctor Who _ like that in front of me.

“Sheriff, find John Doe. You heard Dr. Whale. Time is precious. If we’re not careful, Miss Spencer might actually be useful for once.” She left with Henry after that.

My fists were clenched at my sides.  _ ‘It is DOCTOR SPENCER you absent minded TWIT!’  _ I took a quick breath to calm myself down. Getting angry at Regina wouldn’t be as rewarding as defeating her Curse, I had to remind myself of that.

“Doctor, how long between your rounds since you last saw him?” Graham asked Dr Whale.

“Twelve hours or so.” Dr Whale answered with a shrug.

“Then that’s what we need to account for.” Graham began to walk away. 

 

==BOL==

 

So our group walked over to the security room. Leroy and Walter were declining in their office chairs. Walter looking as if the door opening woke him up. Leroy glowered like I spat in his drink.

Graham questioned the two guards. Fruitlessly.

“You two were the only employees on the floor last night. And you saw nothing.” Graham repeated what he’d heard in the past five minutes.

“Not a thing.” Walter held up his hands in a ‘what can you do?’ way.

“Did anyone walk by?” Emma asked them.

“I didn’t see nothin’.” Leroy answered.

“Miss Blanchard, was there anything unusual you saw during your trip with your class?” Graham asked.

“I don’t think so.” Margaret denied.

Emma walked forward to the security screen. She pointed at the screen. “We’re looking at the wrong tape. This is the ward where Henry’s class put up decorations. If this was really the tape from last night, we’d see the banners the kids hung.”

“Tch, you fell asleep again.” Leroy complained to Walter.

“You selling me out?!”

“I ain’t getting fired for this.”

“At least I don’t drink on the job.”

“Gentlemen, you’re both guilty, let’s move on.” I remarked from my spot at the door. The Cursed dwarf glared at me, Walter was abashed. “Mister Walter, could you find the proper tape for Miss Swan?”

Walter quickly did so.

The tape showed David stumbling out, being careful to avoid being spotted.

“He walked out alone. He’s okay.” Margaret said with hearts and hope in her eyes.

“Four hours ago. Where does this door lead?”  Emma questioned.

Leroy glanced to Walter. Both of their expressions were grave.

“The woods.”

 

==BOL==

_ Underworld _

 

It had been a month since my arrival in this world. The Underworld. A month of being dead.

Imelda had explained to me in greater detail what the Underworld even was, after I had calmed down. The Underworld was a stepping stone between the living world and whatever came next. If you had unfinished business, you stayed in the Underworld until it was resolved. 

Having memory problems made that whole thing more complicated. How could I resolve a problem I didn’t know I had? All I had was a messy house, the clothes on my back, and my face. 

Imelda had guesses to why my memory was lost. She said others had been like this before, who came here with no idea who they were. There deaths had been so traumatic that they just...forgot everything. They would rather not know who they were, then suffer in after death as they did in life. When they eventually remembered, it broke them.

That theory sent me into a panic attack.

Imelda told me there were other reasons: someone cast a curse on me when I was alive, I willingly forgot everything, or I was such a terrible person that losing my memory and suffering for all of eternity was a fitting punishment.

To help get my memory back, Imelda would send me out to the markets. Her idea was that something I would see would remind me of life Upstairs. Whether it be the market itself, a face, or someone throwing fruit at my head because they hated me.

I had asked, what would be good about remembering going to a market?

_ “Anything is better than nothing, you stupid girl. Now go! I need new linens. Your’s smell like dead rat.” _

I’d been coming to the markets for a month. No memories have come back yet.

While walking through the market, I letting my mind wander to what I must have been like. Nothing in this market was familiar to me. Did that mean I avoided markets? Did that mean I was a recluse? Or maybe I was so rich I never needed to come to a market, sending servants out inside. 

While I walking, I saw one thing I hadn’t seen in the market yet. A little girl was sitting next to the well. There wasn’t water in the well, not water like Upstairs anyway. This was water from the Lethe river. Few people dared touch it. Imelda explained that people who touched the water forgot everything. I thought briefly that I could have jumped inside it. Imelda said I arrived too soon to have the water.

But regardless of the well, the little girl was a surprise. I had heard the laughter of children in my walks to the market. None of them stayed there for long. There unfinished usually being nothing except waiting for a friend.

The little girl had her hair held back by a bonnet, her dress made of rags and stained with dirt. 

I walked up to the well. The items Imelda needed could be found later.

“Hello.” A warm kind smile bloomed on my face. The little girl beamed back, still playing with the raggedy strings on her doll’s head. “What is your name?”

“Rachel.” She answered. She held up her doll. “This is Toady.”

The doll looked nothing like toad. Though it’s cloth face had multiple stains that could be warts or the slimy skin of a toad. I had no eyes through which the child imagined. 

I curtsied to the two of them. “Nice to meet you Rachel. You as well Toady.” Rachel giggled. “Do you mind...if I ask?”

The little girl seemed to understand. “It was a sickness in my village. You are not the first person to ask.”

“I’m sorry.” I put my hand on my heart, giving the little girl a small curtsy. “You’re too young to have gone through this alone.”

“I wasn’t alone.” Rachel went on. “Others in my village died as well. I have friends down here, and family!”

“Then, young child, what was your unfinished business?” I asked.

Rachel scuffled her bare feet on the dirt. “My baby brother. Mama and Papa told me to take care of him. He’s not down here, but he might come. Someday. I can’t break my promise to Mama and Papa. I’m staying until he comes.”

My hand reached out, brushing down on her hair. That was so...a promise a child would make. It was brave as well. She was holding out on going beyond to be reunited with her family again. 

“You are a brave soul, sweet girl.” I praised her. Rachel preened at the compliment.

“You’re brave too Miss Castillo!” Rachel praised. I blinked in confusion. She hopped up from the well. “Oh there’s Miss Delgado. She’s watching me and the other kids without parents.” She waved over behind us.

Turning around, I saw a young woman with a crowd of children around her. She was glaring at me liked I had killed the girl in front of me. The apparent Miss Delgado stormed up to Rachel and I.

She grabbed Rachel by the arm. Rachel whined.

“You’re hurting her.” I stated, also warning.

Miss Delgado glared at me. “I’m not letting you get Rachel to forget too.” She lowered her head to Rachel. “I said do not wander off, you stupid girl! Especially not to speak with _ la Muerte del Castillo _ . We do not speak with her.”

She dragged Rachel away. Rachel had dropped poor Toady.

Kneeling down, I took the doll in hand. I stared off the direction Rachel had gone. Around me the market bustled on. They were ignoring me. It came to me in a moment of inspiration that they had been doing this the entire month I had come here.

“Now that was rude.” A voice spoke from behind.

Sharply turning back, I held my arms up defensively. The action came as second nature. It threw me off for a second to see my body prepared for a fight.

The man was smiling at me. He was white, with ginger hair stuck up from his head, and he was dressed in a black robe. All in all, very unsettling. The people around the market- who were until know just pretending not to notice me- were now turning their heads away from us.

“Who are you?” I demanded him.

The man raised his chin, a curious expression on his face. “I think it’s rude to introduce yourself and not get a name in return.”

My lip curled up in a sneer. The market’s silent mocking of me was fine. I would _ not _ be openly mocked for my own mind!

“Hold on, you  _ do  _ have a name. Muerte del Castillo. Gotta tell you, these people aren’t very creative with their insults.” The man repeated the title Miss Delgado had used. He leaned forward. “Would you like to know what it means?”

“Tis an insult, is it not?” I countered, refusing to let this man best me.

The man was not annoyed by my reply. He smiled as if I’d told him the robe looked nice. “So you understand what it means?”

“It’s an insult, and I have amnesia. Do I really need to understand the language to know what it means?” I countered.

The man laughed this time. “Fair point.” The man leaned against the well. He peered inside, looking down to the Lethe water below. “ _ Castillo _ means castle, and  _ muerte _ is death. You’re a dead castle. The torches are lit, but nobody’s home. Have you heard that saying before? I think you have, you just forgot.” 

Wow, okay. That was the most insulting thing I’d ever heard. Him describing it, not the name itself. 

“Oh  _ shut up _ you pig-haired idiot.” I snapped at him.

The market stopped.

The man tensed on the wall. He looked up to glare at me. “What did you just say?”

“Did you forget already?” I taunted. My hands moved to rest on my hip, still holding tight to Toady. “I called you a pig-haired idiot. Don’t know what that means? Let me explain. Your hair looks like the hair on a pig.”

Then the man, he did this thing that I honestly wasn’t expecting.

His hair caught _ fire _ .  _ Blue  _ fire. 

The villagers around me screamed. They all flurried to hide in or behind the various stalls.

Myself, I just blinked at it.

“Is this the _ ‘bacon’ _ I’ve heard so much about?” I asked, because apparently being dead once wasn’t enough for me. “Not seeing the appeal...here. It smells worse than Imelda said.”

The man huffed in anger. His hair-fire flared.

“Oh my, it’s worse now.” I held a hand to my nose. The people of the market jumped back in fear. “Smells like...like the business end of a mule.”

The man glared at me for a long moment. The flames tapped off. The crowd stayed hidden. As much as they disliked me, it would be good if this apparent standoff didn’t hurt them. The last thing I needed was to be further alienated from them.

He blinked at me. His expression was one of disbelief. “Incredible.” He took a step closer. I stood my ground without showing him fear. Though my grip on Toady tightened. “You aren’t afraid.”

“Men with fire on their heads don’t scare me.” I replied. “Honestly a part of me that you’d set yourself on fire. It was going to be a grand laugh when I came home.  _ ‘Today a man set himself on fire rather than talk to me’ _ .”

The man chuckled. He walked closer to me. He held up his hand. “Since you’re an empty-head, allow me to introduce myself. Hades. King of the Underworld.”

I tilted my head at him. “Am I supposed to be impressed?”

“Most are more scared of me than impressed.” Hades turned a nearby stall, where everyone was hiding from him. He jumped at them. “Blah!”

The villagers whimpered, cowering further inside their stall.

Hades came back to me, grinning proudly. It dropped at seeing my flat expression.

“Nothing? Not even a smile?”

“I would think not. My memory may be gone, Sir Hades, but even _ I _ know not to smile at people who are  _ happy  _ in spreading fear.” 

My peace said, I turned my back to Hades and made my way out of the village.

 

==BOL==

_ Storybrooke _

 

_ ‘So he went to the woods?’ _ Henry texted me.

_ ‘He’s TOTES looking for Snow.’ _

_ ‘Ugh. Never say totes again.’ _

_ ‘I’ll totes get on that.’ _

_ ‘You’re mean.’ _

_ ‘It took you this long to figure that out? H-man you are totes are idiot.’ _

As I walked behind the group, I texted Henry updates. My mind had slipped along the way for memories. None of them noticed, too worried for David. The texting started not long after I ‘woke up’. Henry had wanted updates on the Operation Copperfield (my name, not Henry’s, and I couldn’t exactly tell him why the name was so perfect without telling Henry I knew David’s name). 

We reached a clearing a mile from the hospital. Graham stopped to observe the footprints, then looked at the surrounding bushes.

“What is it?” Emma asked him.

“The trail runs out here.” Graham answered. He was still looking around for any sign of David.

“You sure? Because I thought tracking was one of your skills.” Emma teased.

“Just give me a second. This is my world. I got it.” Graham instructed. He looked around one more time, seeing a trail he might like. He walked off to get the trail back.

Emma winced. “Right. Sorry.”

“What does he mean, ‘His world’? Isn’t finding people your thing, too?” Margaret asked Emma.

“Sure. Just, people I find usually run places like Vegas. Not a lot hit the woods.” Emma remarked.

“That’s an interesting job- finding people. How’d you fall into it?” Margaret asked.

“Looking for people is just what I’ve done. As long as I can remember.” Emma stated.

I snorted, just hearing that same phrase from everyone in town when it came to Curse memories. If I didn’t know any better I would say that being a bondsman was part of Emma’s Curse.

“What made you start? Your parents? Henry told me that your-” I elbowed her side. Margaret’s eyes went wide. “Th-that you were from a similar situation to his own. Did you ever find them?” Margaret failed.

I smiled knowingly.

Emma pointedly looked away from me. “Depends who you ask.” 

There a crack of a branch as Henry appeared. He jumped out from behind us. He was holding a large flashlight, and had his backpack on his shoulders.

“Henry!” Margaret gasped.

“Your timing is  _ awesome _ , we were just talking about you.” I told him, grinning.

“Did you find him yet?” Henry asked Emma and I.

“No, not yet. You shouldn’t be here.” Emma scolded.

“Yeah. H-man, I was texting you.”

“Your texts had a lag.” Henry excused. “I can help. I know where he’s going.”

As if her instincts as a teacher were turned off in favor of her feelings, Margaret went up to Henry. “And where’s that?”

“He’s looking for you.” Henry answered plainly, like both adults should have known.

 

==BOL==

_ Underworld _

 

A giant boot.

Miss Delgado lived in a giant boot.

With my memories gone, I’m not sure if this was a normal thing or not. 

Normal or not, I had a job to do.

I knocked on the door to the...boot. 

The door swung open to show an enraged Miss Delgado.

“Oh! Hello...ahem...Miss Delgado.” I smiled, shakely smiling.

Miss Delgado glared at me. “I don’t want you here. You will scare the children.”

“I just...came to give this back.” I held up Toady. “Rachel left him in the market.”

Miss Delgado snatched the doll out of my hands, slamming the door shut.

I stared at the door for a moment. How Miss Delgado ended up watching the lonely children I’ll never understand. She was as friendly as a fairy.

The thought came to me so suddenly I almost missed it.

A fairy? Why was I saying that about fairies? From all I had heard from Imelda and the few books in the Underworld, fairies were Good. Yet why does the thought of a fairy near a child send shivers of revulsion through my body?

_ Why was my heart beating so fast...? _

“Hello again.” Came Hades’ voice from my side.

My instinct kicked in again. My fist lashed out to punch him in the face. Hades grabbed my fist. At my enraged face he only grinned in amusement.

“Ooh, be careful, Castillo. Might’ve hurt somebody with that.”

“That was the  _ point _ .” I growled. He was holding my fist tight. All my attempts at pulling it out of his hand were proving useless.

“Huh. Still, with an attack like that, you must’ve been _ some _ fighter Upstairs.” Hades praised.

I wilted slightly.

Hades knew it.

“You’ll remember someday.” Hades assured with a fake pout.

My expression don’t change.

“Hey, don’t sell yourself short. Others have gotten their memories back.” Hades told me.

“And then they jumped in the Lethe to forget again, because the things  _ they  _ remembered were so awful.” I countered.

Hades held up his hands in a ‘ _ what can you do?’ _

The  _ audacity _ , to make trivial of what was my entire life as I remembered it. My face twisted up in annoyance. Hades was just making my bad day worse. I made to leave. Hades walked in my path, smiling in what I’m assuming was supposed to be a comfort.

“Hey, hey. What happened? I thought we were getting along.”

“ _ Forgetting your life _ is not something to mock!” I snapped at him. “I wake up with no idea who I am, who I was in the before! How would  _ you _ like it if you forgot everything?! Why should I expect something  _ meaningful _ from a man who has pig hair?!”

“I’ll help.” Hades offered.

“I doubt you could help a fish find water even if it was already at sea!” I spat at him.

“No I really will!” Hades tried again. “As king of the Underworld, it’s my job to help people get their unfinished business settled. Can’t settle it if you don’t know it, right?”

I scoffed. “Right.”

“First things first. We need to find your name.” Hades clapped his hands together. “You look like a Myrtle.”

“Actually, Muerte has grown on me.” I replied. “I don’t think you’ve earned my proper name, even  _ if  _ I should come to learn it.”

Hades just smirked though. “So we have a deal?”

I raised my eyebrow at him, considering.

 

==BOL==

_ Storybrooke _

 

“You’re the one who woke him up. You’re the last one he saw. He wants to find you! Right Mary Beth?” Henry elbowed me. “Mary Beth?”

Fighting away the last of the memory, I shook my head. “‘Zup?” I greeted in a sluggish voice.

“Are you okay?”

“Totally...totally normal, H-man.” I assured, rubbing my eyes with my hand. “Carry on. You were saying something about...Margaret?”

The boy obviously wanted to talk to me more about what he’d just seen. 

“Focus, H-man.” I reminded him, patting him on the back. “We got a prince to find. We can talk about  _ things _ later. Your mom could meet her dad today.”

The boy, still concerned for his friend, knew I had a point. Operation Cobra was the bigger priority.

“Henry, it’s not about me. I just... I think he’s lost and confused.” Margaret explained, in a rush. “He’s been in a coma a long time.”

“But he loves you!” Henry argued. “You need to stop chasing him, and let him find _ you! _ ”

“Kid. You need to go home.” Emma stressed. “Where’s your mom? She’s going to kill me and then you...and then me again.”

“She dropped me at the house. Then, went right out.” Henry answered, sadly.

“Well, we need to get you back immediately.” Emma stressed. “Mary Beth, take him home.

“No!” Henry and I stated, myself more mature and Henry’s more childish.

“Guys!” Graham called out from further down the path.

The others ran up to him. Myself, still adjusting to the memory of meeting _ Hades _ from the  _ Underworld _ , trailed behind.

(No that wasn’t an in- _ tent- _ ed pun.)

(...I’ll just shut up now).

When I got there, Graham had already shown them the bracelet.

Margaret gasped. “Is that-”

“Blood.” Emma and I confirmed.

 

==BOL==

_ Underworld _

 

“So I’m guessing the market didn’t have my supplies.” Imelda deadpanned. 

I huffed. That was just classic Imelda, deadpanning for all eternity. 

“They did. Nobody would sell them to me, though.” I explained. “Because everyone in the village is scared of me.”

“They are not  _ scared _ .”

“Yes they are. We don’t have to worry about what my name was. The village came up with a good one.  _ La Muerte del Castillo _ . You know what it means? Dead castle.  _ Empty head _ !”

“Miha...”

“No, no it’s fine. A little girl told me. She wasn’t scared of me. From the mouths of babes, and all that. She...liked me. Welcomed me, accepted me, against what others told her.” I explained. “It got weirder though. I met this guy with fire hair-”

Imelda dropped supplies with a dozen heavy thuds.

“Stars above!” I jumped back. “Imelda, what was that?!”

“Hades?! You met Hades?!” Imelda gawked. She came up to my side, forcing me over to one of the chairs. “You poor thing! You need to sit down!”

“Why?”

“Meeting the King of the Underworld. I sent you to the market for eggs and you came back having met the King of the Underworld.  _ Adios mio, _ good thing I am dead already or I would have died of shock!”

“He was a jerk, I will admit. He offered to help-”

“Hades helps nobody but himself!” Imelda warned me. “Ever. All he does it sit around his lair, and keeps spirits trapped.”

“But...he-”

“He offered to _ ‘help _ ’, so you’ve said.” Imelda interrupted. “Did he say his offer to help  _ you _ ?”

I paused. “...he didn’t say.”

“Aha!”

“I never said I trusted him to help me!” I defended. “Just because I don’t remember a time before you doesn’t mean I trust  _ you! _ ”

Imelda gasped.

“Imelda- hold on. I didn’t mean it like  _ that _ .” My heart constricted at the hurt look on Imelda’s face. “Just...I don’t trust _ anybody _ ...yet I live with you.”

My roommate was still hurt by my earlier words. She only gave me a small smile at my new ones. “I understand,  _ miha _ .” She walked up to me, putting a hand on mine. She knew I disliked hugs (for why, you’d have to go back in time and ask my learned self). “We’ll get those memories back.  _ Without  _ Hades.”

“Well speak of the devil and he shall appear.” Came Hades’ voice from behind me.

 

==BOL==

_ Storybrooke _

 

I jumped back in surprise.

_ Yes I’m a 174 and still get surprised by jump-scares. Don’t mock me! _

Graham led us down the trail- now with added drops of blood on the ground. 

“Where is he? Can you see him?” Margaret asked Graham.

Graham walked to the riverbank. He knelt down, his pants nearly getting soaked in mud. “The trail dies at the water line.”

Holding my flashlight up higher, I moved it until I found David. Margaret followed, gasping when her light met mine.

“Oh my god!” Margaret gasped, so panicked at seeing him I think she forgot my light landed there first. Not that I wanted the credit, like at all. I just thought it was worth a mention. “Oh my god! Oh my god!”

The others heard her crying out. Graham ran up, myself ahead of him. He lifted up his walkie talkie. “I need an ambulance! At the old Toll Bridge, as soon as possible.”

“He’s got a pulse.” I noted, fingers pressed against David’s cold neck. “Weak. And he’s cold. We need to get him out.”

The adults each took a limb, lifting David up out of the river bed. We lugged him to the shore.

“No, no, no, no, no!” Margaret sniffled. She held David’s cold cheek in her warm hand. “No, no, no! I found you!” 

“It’s going to be okay.” Emma assured Margaret. She gave me a fast warning glare about saying otherwise.

“Help’s coming.” Graham added, being more helpful.

“Is he okay?” Henry asked, trying to peer over the adult barricade.

“Henry...” Emma sighed.

“Is he going to be okay?” Henry clarified.

“Henry, don’t look. Okay? Don’t look.” Emma instructed. She walked up to her son, pulling him close to her to keep him from looking.

“Mary Beth-?” Henry called out.

“H-man. Stay back. Let us keep him away from my job!” I assured. 

Henry swallowed, turning his head against Emma’s front.

“Come back to us.” Margaret demanded of David. She gave him CPR, pushing down on his chest. “Come back to me.” She moved to his mouth, to give him air.

When she pulled her mouth back, David coughed up the water. 

Everyone stared in shock. Iley put a relieved exhale.

“You saved me.” David praised Margaret. He smiled up at her.

She smiled back.

“She did it. She did it! She woke him up.” Henry cheered. 

“Yeah, kid. She did.” Emma replied, in relief and confusion.

“One less guy on my table is good.” I added.

“Thought you wanted more work.” Graham remarked.

I scrunched up my face in disgust. “Nah, I wanted it more  _ interesting _ .” My arms motioned to David and Margaret. “Request acknowledged.”

Graham smiled fondly, shaking his head at me.

“Thank you.” David breathed out, eyes fluttering.

“Who are you?” Margaret asked, still smiling so happily. The kind of Happy Snow White would feel at getting him back.

“I...don’t know.” David answered. Understandable, since Regina wouldn’t have given him Curse memories as a coma patient.

“It’s okay.” Margaret assured. “You’re going to be okay.”

The sirens of the ambulance echoed on the clearing. I turned to Henry, giving him a thump-up.

He beamed back at me. To him this was a win against the Curse. To me this was everything falling into place, the way it was supposed to happen.

Things always got worse before they got better.

 

==BOL==

 

At the hospital, they rushed David inside. Dr Whale worked with the nurses to bring David to stability.

The five of us watched from a window. The others were bunched with nervous energy. I was better at hiding it.

Kathryn ran by us, pushing my aside to get to the door. I winced as she’d dug an elbow in my arm to get me to move.

Why didn’t I notice her coming? Because I was thinking about the memories from Muerte. There had been a lot to absorb since we went looking for David.

Wasn’t I queen of the underworld? Why was there all this other stuff? Had people made her queen out of fear? And just  _ what  _ was going on with Hades?

_ Hades _ ?

Honest to Zeus,  _ Hades _ ?

The god of the Underworld? And my pre-Cursed self didn’t _ know him? _ I swear that’s the most insulting thing to ever happen to me.

_ Me _ , not knowing basically mythology. Disgracefully.

So. A good excuse to be plowed down by Kathryn. 

“David! David, is that you?” Kathryn cried out. She smiled, despite David’s confused look.

“Excuse me, ma’am?” Dr Whale began. 

“Oh my god...” Kathryn had tears on her cheeks now.

“Ma’am, you can’t be in here. Please, you can’t be here right now.” Dr Whale held Kathryn, walking her away from where the nurses were setting David back up.

“David...”

“You can’t be here, ma’am. Can you wait over here for a second, okay?” Dr Whale moved her closer to the door.

“Who is that?” Margaret asked us.

“His wife.” Regina answered from behind us.

I would’ve noticed more, until I felt a foggy sensation float over my brain.

 

==BOL==

_ Underworld _

 

Imelda and I gawked at the new arrival.

Hades beamed at us, as if he hadn’t just appeared in our home uninvited.

“You know, it’s rude to talk about people behind their backs.” Hades remarked. He pouted at me. “Didn’t your mother teach you anything?”

I glowered from my seat. 

“I don’t know what games you play with my friend, Hades, but I won’t let you hurt her.” Imelda moved to stand by my side.

“Why would I? She’s the first challenge I’ve had in  _ decades _ .” Hades replied, a too big smile on his face. “Besides I think the lady can speak for herself.” He glanced at me. “Isn’t that right, mortal?”

I didn’t reply, instead I kept my expression neutral.

“Hades. Imelda says you’re a heartless king who would rather imprison souls than help them move on.” I explained. Hades smiled on. “You don’t deny this?”

“What’s the point in denying it? Everyone in the Underworld knows it. Keeping you out of the loop now would just be insulting.” Hades replied, with a nonchalant shrug. “To my ego, not to you.”

I raised my eyebrow at him.

Imelda grumbled beside me, clearly holding herself back from shouting.

My hand raised up. Imelda stopped herself, looking at me in confusion. I could read her expression as easy as if she’d spoken.

_ ‘Miha what are you  _ doing _?! You can’t trust him _ !’

_ ‘Let me handle this _ .’ I did my best to say that with a glance.  _ ‘I don’t trust him, not like you. I can do this.’ _

Imelda, unwilling, stepped back.

Standing up from my hair, I clasped my hands in front of me. The action is normal to me as taking in air. Yet Hades glanced at my hands with intrigue. 

“Hades.”

“ _ King  _ Hades, of the Underworld.” Hades corrected, his grin smug. “I can’t get your name right. Least you could do is say  _ mine _ .”

“Hades.”

Hades snuggles turned to clenched teeth, still grinning to hide that I’d annoyed him.

“You say you can help me remember. How?” I asked.

“I’ll find out.” Hades explained, avoiding the answer.

I quirked my head. “Hmm...odd that the King of the Underworld doesn’t have an easy made way to remember.”

“Ah, But memories aren’t that simple.” Hades explained. “Because it’s not just the memories we have to get back, it’s the  _ emotions. _ All memories have some emotion tied to it. The arguments you had, were you angry or sad? The times you were too happy to speak, orgoo disgusted. A rat comes to your house, did you scream in disgust or joy? Sounds made up but I know some people who  _ sang  _ to them. Living people are  _ odd _ .”

“So I need to recover my memories,  _ and  _ the emotions entangled within?” I supplied from his speech. “Or else I’ll be a similar blank slate. A  _ learned _ blank slate, but still blank. 

Hades, still on that train of explanation, blinked at me. “How did you get  _ that  _ from what I said?”

“Well I imagine the emotions are important. I’m capable of experiencing emotions  _ now _ , however odd they seem now. If I only see the memories, without feeling them, what would be the point?”

“...you were right.” Hades admitted, admiration in his tone. Enough that I gave him a quirk of the head.

“Your explanation implied you  _ know  _ the way I get them back.” I added.

Hades grimaced. “It’s not easy.”

“Feeling lazy, are we?” I teased, a serious expression on my face. “King Hades, Lord of the Underworld, nothing better than a lazy layabout?”

Hades stared at me, tips of his hair smoking.

Imelda’s nervousness filled the space behind me. She stood closer to me. I pretended not to notice.

“Not what I  _ meant _ .” Hades growled, a warning.

“Sure sounded that way to me. Or do I just not have the proper emotional memory?”

“I came to  _ help  _ you, out of the kindness of my heart.” Hades reminded, more of his hair smoking.

“You have one of those?”

Hades growled. “Watch yourself, Muerte.”

“Or what? You’ll leave? Back to a kingdom of people who only treat you in fear?” I argued. Hades paused. “That’s the only reason you want to help me, yes? Because I didn’t regard you with fear, and that intrigues you?”

Hades was openly gawking at me. “No-”

“Because even the  _ other  _ people who forgot, like they drank from the Lethe or forget when they arrived, were scared of you.” I explained. His hair wasn’t smoking but I knew that could change any second. “All of them except  _ me _ . You want to help me get my memories, see if I’m the same person who isn’t afraid of you. You’re scared as well, that I’ll change and be afraid.”

I took a step closer to him. 

“You listen to me. My life isn’t a toy for you to play with. You help me, I promise I won’t change. No matter what my memories say.” I offered.

My hand reached out. I could hear Imelda’s half-aborted squeak.

Hades looked down at the hand, then up at me.

“Deal?” I asked.

Hades paused...before taking my hand.

“You must’ve been interesting when you were alive.” Hades remarked.

I didn’t protest.

 

==BOL==

_ Storybrooke _

 

“His name is David Nolan.”

My world and back to focus. The words Regina were saying were floating in one ear and out the other. All I could think about was the memory I’d just seen.

“And that’s his wife, Kathryn. And the joy on her face, well, it’s put me in quite the forgiving mood. We’ll talk about your insubordination later. Do you know what insubordination means? It means you’re grounded.”

Something touched my hand. I snapped my head to it, only to see it was Henry’s hand holding my wrist. I let him.

Kathryn walked out. She sniffled, but had a beaming smile on her face. My free hand I moved across my chest to hold my arm. It was just awkward to see Kathryn so happy to see David, and not with Frederick. “Thank you. Thank you for finding my David.”

“Um, I-I don’t understand. You didn’t... You didn’t know that he was here in a coma?” Margaret asked, skeptical. 

_ ‘I’m watching a school teacher restrain herself from having a cat-fight. This is my life now.’ _

“A few years ago, David and I were not getting along. It was my fault, I know that now.” Kathryn explained, pointedly ignoring the tears coming down her cheeks. “I was difficult and unsupportive. I told him if he didn’t like things, he could leave. And he did. And I didn’t stop him. It was the worst mistake I ever made.”

Emma leaned forward in her chair- hold on, when had everyone moved around? Where did Graham go? I’m so confused. And tired. Mostly tired. “You didn’t go look for him?” Emma asked Kathryn.

“I assumed he’d left town all this time. And now I know why I never heard from him.” Kathryn continued to smile in relief. “Now I get to do what I’ve wanted to do forever- say I’m sorry. Now we get a second chance.”

I bit my lip.  _ ‘Poor Anastasia...she just wants her Frederick. Fuck you, Regina, for getting between the ships!’ _

Margaret smiled tightly. “That’s wonderful.”

Dr Whale walked out. I moved my hand out of Henry’s hold, moving my hands to my hips. “Well, it’s something of a miracle.” Dr. Whale huffed.

“He’s okay?” Kathryn asked.

“Ah, physically, he’s on the mend.” Dr Whale explained. “His memory is another issue. It may take time, if at all.”

“What brought him back?” Margaret asked.

Dr. Whale shrugged. Really, really boosting my confidence in the medical staff at Storybrooke. “That’s the thing. There’s no explanation. Something just clicked in him.”

“Seriously? That’s the best you can give us  _ medically _ ?” I countered.

Dr Whale huffed. “You got anything better to offer,  _ Doctor? _ ”

_ ‘Many things! That you wouldn’t accept because you don’t understand magic.’ _

“He woke up and he was delirious and his first instinct was to go find something.” Dr. Whale further explained.

“Some _ one _ .” Henry corrected. He gave Margaret a meaningful look. She ignored it.

“Can I see him?” Kathryn requested.

Dr. Whale went for the door. “Yeah, of course.” The two of them walked inside.

“Henry, let’s go.” Regina insisted. 

Henry followed until he passed Margaret. “Wait, my backpack.” He ran back for the bag. Once he had it, he paused next to Margaret. He pretended to be checking the bag for his things. “Don’t believe them. You’re the one he was looking for.”

“Henry...” Margaret sighed.

“He was going to the Troll Bridge. It’s like the end of the story.” Henry assured.

“Henry, he was going there because it’s the last thing I read to him.” Margaret told him delicately.

“No, it’s because you belong together.” Henry stressed.

“Henry.” Regina called out, impatient.

Henry turned to me. I gave a thumb-up and an assuring wink, though my mouth was in a thin line. He put his backpack on before going after his mother.

Margaret was staring at David through the glass, looking more lost than before.

Emma and I exchanged a look. She had an idea in her eyes. Once it was there she rose up to her feet, going after the retreating Mills family.

I walked over to Margaret.

“It’ll be okay, Margaret.”

“Beth, I don’t know.” Margaret ran a hand across her forehead. “It’s just...memory loss. He’s forgotten it all. Maybe that’s why he remembered the story...it was all he knew...”

“It could be.” I agreed. “Or it could be where they met, or it could be because he went there to clear his head, or maybe Henry’s right.”

Margaret sighed.

“Yeah. I’m not helping.” I shrugged. “Margaret, I may have a medical license, but Dr Whale was right. Memory loss...is a dangerous thing. He may remember someday...he may never.” I looked over to Kathryn, who was being the perfect picture of a devoted wife, and then to David, who was staring up at Kathryn in confusion. “Memory can’t be forced. It has to been welcomed. I think that says a lot.”

“...about?” Margaret asked after a pause.

“It says a lot that he remembered _ your  _ voice talking about a troll bridge, and didn’t stop walking until he was there instead going...oh I don’t know...home.” I explained. “That says a lot to me. Then again, I’m just a teenager. What do I know?”

Yet Margaret had a spark of hope in her eyes now.

_ ‘And  _ that _ Regina, was for trying to crash Anastasia and Frederick’s ship!’ _

 

==BOL==

 

That night, I was curled up in a chair in my living room. Aimee had left for the night, which I was totally okay with. It had been a long day that stretched to the night. No surprise my house was empty.

Or that across the street, Regina was staring at my house from her front porch. There was a smug look in her eyes that she had beat me tonight.

I beamed at her. She may have thought she won, but by bringing Kathryn into this she set off the first domino that would bring about her own downfall.

_ And I so love when people do that. _

As I sat in my living room, my thoughts wandered to the memories I’d had that day about Muerte. A terrible idea had come to me some time ago, amidst all the memories. A terrible, awful, no-good idea that wouldn’t get out of my head.

I called Henry. He answered, faster than I thought usually.

“Henry.” I paused. “Does Muerte have a...in the book, you know, a...true love?”

_ “Well, I can look.”  _ Henry offered.  _ “You probably do. You’re a hero, you just forget sometimes.” _

I bit my lip, worried about what Henry would find now. Which didn’t make sense because I had  _ asked _ him to do this. “O-okay. Just, get back to me on that.”

We hung up. I went to bed (eventually falling asleep).

When I woke up the next morning, smelling that Aimee had burnt breakfast, all I thought about what Hades and his fire hair...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took forever. All I can say is I AM NOT DEAD!
> 
> Go to my tumblr blog: authora97writingupdates for, well, updates on my writing. I’ll make posts there about what stories I’m working on updating, or just leaving writing junk.


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